The changing role of the clinical microbiology laboratory director: results of a survey.

Health care reform has provided clinical microbiology laboratory directors with new responsibilities and challenges that should highlight and enhance their importance within the health care system. Results of a survey sent to directors suggest that management tasks have increased since 1990, and activities that move the director into the hospital and patient care environment underscore their value to the health care team. These activities include participation on clinical practice guidelines pathway committees and use of consultative and interpretative reports. Survey results also summarize the directors' qualifications, laboratory size, typical daily schedule, job responsibilities, hours worked, time away from the laboratory for professional purposes, and comments about one's most important functions. In summary, failure to recognize new responsibilities could result in the disappearance of the position of director as we know it. Capitalizing on this challenge will secure the microbiology director's role for decades to come.