A national coalition whose members include Laboratory Medicine professionals and executives, LabCANDx  has announced that it has come together to provide a common voice for the sector in Canada. This national coalition’s representatives are from more than 35 organizations including public and private medical laboratories, in-vitro diagnostics manufacturers, regional health organizations as well as professional associations, and is focused on working together for better patient outcomes and healthcare sustainability.

The COVID-19 pandemic has illustrated the importance of robust laboratory infrastructure and in order to continue to respond quickly to existing or emerging needs, Canada must continue to invest and build broad based testing infrastructure and capacity to safeguard the health and well-being of Canadians in all areas of medicine.

Bolstering Laboratory Medicine includes recruitment and the education and training of Laboratory Medicine personnel, as well as, upgrading laboratory infrastructure and technologies that have the potential to fundamentally shift the way healthcare is provided and accessed across the country.

Technologies such as Remote Diagnostics, Remote Monitoring, Point of Care Testing, Molecular and Genomic Testing, Companion Diagnostics, and Artificial Intelligence can help transform healthcare delivery. These technologies align with many of the “2022 Health Technology Trends to Watch” as identified by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH).

Investments in these areas will help drive system efficiencies, while delivering better patient outcomes and helping address the massive medical and surgical procedure backlog due to the pandemic.

Former division head, medical biochemistry at Vancouver Island Health Authority, in British Columbia, Dr. Gordon Hoag said, “Laboratory medicine is recognized as a ‘best practice’ leader for engaging stakeholders in effectively assessing and adopting diagnostics innovations supporting positive change in value-based healthcare while fostering improved patient and healthcare system outcomes.”

The LabCANDx coalition is focused on working with health system leaders to ensure the right test, for the right patient, at the right time, with appropriate interpretation to inform clinical decisions for better patient outcomes and healthcare sustainability. In engaging with various stakeholders, LabCANDx advocates for the adoption of laboratory medicine innovations as an enabler for value-based healthcare and system efficiencies for the benefit of patients and families.

Laboratory medicine offers excellent “value for money.” While representing only 3-5 per cent of the total national healthcare budget with over 4,200 tests publicly funded, laboratory test results influence and inform up to 70 per cent of medical decisions and treatment plans. Traditionally and relative to other disciplines, healthcare systems globally have underinvested in laboratory infrastructure despite its high value and Canada makes no exception. The pandemic has made visible the contribution Laboratory Medicine makes every day. This is why it is critical to continue investing and to leverage diagnostics to improve patient outcomes and transform healthcare delivery.