The Point of Care Coordinator/Laboratory Educator is responsible for the oversight and administration of the Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) program across hospital and off-site locations, ensuring compliance with laboratory policies, regulatory requirements, and accreditation standards. This role serves as a technical and educational resource for non-laboratory and laboratory personnel by providing leadership in training, competency assessment, and professional development initiatives that promote operational excellence, quality patient care, regulatory compliance, and workforce development.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provides leadership and technical oversight for all non-laboratory staff performing POCT across hospital and off-site locations, including operator training, competency assessment, equipment monitoring, policy/procedure development, troubleshooting, error investigation, equipment maintenance, and implementation of corrective action plans.

• Responsible for coordinating the onboarding and orientation of new employees and students, as well as overseeing the training, continuing education, and ongoing competency assessment of laboratory personnel in accordance with applicable accreditation and regulatory standards.

• Acts as the liaison between CGH and associated outside educational institutions. This includes maintaining contracts, training schedules, goals,

• Develops and implements training programs for laboratory staff for all newly implemented technologies, methodologies, and protocols in the diagnostic laboratory.

• Maintains all operator certification files and laboratory employee competency files in compliance with regulatory requirements.

• Performs random monthly inspection readiness audits (at hospital and off-site locations) of testing, documentation, QC, and training to ensure continuous compliance with all regulatory and accreditation standards.

• Assists in the development and implementation of ongoing quality control (QC) and performance improvement (PI) programs for the laboratory and serves on hospital quality assurance (QA) project teams.

• Establishes, revises and monitors policies, procedures, checklists, competency forms, and quality assurance reports.

• Supervises daily operations and personnel of the Main Clinic Laboratory. Assisting with front line OP staff, including the general secretarial staff and phlebotomists.

• Providing direct contact with OP physician offices and providers for all laboratory processes involving OP laboratory testing.

• Provides oversite of all current POC testing and evaluates all requests for implementation of new POC testing.

• Monitoring and ordering office supplies and phlebotomy supplies for the Main Clinic Laboratory.

• Communicates and reports daily to the Laboratory Director or asst. Director.

• Reviews monthly QC data and results of inspection readiness audits, identifies areas of non-compliance, develops action plans, and monitors ongoing performance. Provides regular reports to The Laboratory Administrative Director and Laboratory Medical Director.

• Manages all POCT studies including validation and correlation studies on all POC devices according to established protocols and standards.

• Works closely with the Laboratory Administrative Director on system-wide POCT issues including assessing new requests for Point of Care testing/instrumentation and device selection.

• Reviews QC and maintenance records for all testing sites. Keeps up to date on any manufacturer changes in procedures and informs personnel accordingly.

• Ensures enrollment and participation in a proficiency testing program commensurate with the testing services provided and oversees necessary remedial action when necessary.

• Effectively communicates and maintains excellent rapport among vendors, hospital staff, physicians, and administration.

• Demonstrates effective conflict management and problem-solving skills, proactively offering solutions and contributing to their resolution.

• Provides coaching and counseling to staff and students as appropriate, ensuring accurate documentation in accordance with organizational policy.

• Fosters a collaborative work environment through regular staff rounding, encouraging employee engagement and feedback to support continuous departmental improvement.

• Serves as a key resource in the preparation for and participation in Joint Commission (JCAHO) and College of American Pathologists (CAP) inspections, supporting ongoing compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards.

• Attends weekly Laboratory Supervisor’s Meetings.

• Performs all other related duties and special projects assigned by the Laboratory Administrative Director.

SPECIALIZED KNOW-HOW & REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science, Medical Technology, or related laboratory science field with ASCP or AMT certification required (or eligible; required to obtain within 6 months of hire).

• 4 years of technical experience in a clinical laboratory setting required.

• Qualification as Technical Consultant as defined by CLIA ’88 required.

• Possesses excellent verbal and written communication, problem-solving, team building and critical thinking skills with attention to detail.

• Previous point-of-care testing experience, supervisory experience, and knowledge of CLIA and CAP regulatory guidelines preferred.

• IDPH POC certification preferred.

• Demonstrates the knowledge necessary to provide care appropriate to any age-related needs of the patients served on assigned unit. Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development appropriate to the patient population served. Able to assess and interpret data about the patient’s status to identify each patient’s needs and provide the appropriate care, including age-related care, needed by the neonate, pediatric, adolescent and/or geriatric patient group.