Defining the practice of Medical Technology

• "Branch of the Medicine concerned with the performance of laboratory determinations and analysis used in the diagnosis and treatment of disease and maintenance of health.

  Anne Fagelson
• The application of principles of natural, physical, and biological sciences to the performance of lab procedures that aid in the diagnosis and treatment of disease

  Ruth Heinemann
• The health profession concerned with the performing laboratory analysis in view of obtaining information necessary in the diagnosis and treatment if disease as well as in the maintenance of good health

  Norma J Walters
• Technology

  • physical artefact,machine or instrument
  • activity or means to accomplish a goal
  • as knowledge
• Medical Laboratory Practice Defined

  RA 5527 Philippine Medical Technology Act. of 1969

  Section 2 of the RA, as amended by R.A. 6132, P. D. 498, and P. D. 1534 (Practice of Medical Technology)
• Section 2 a. Practice of Medical Technology - a person shall be deemed to be in the practice of medical technology within the meaning of this Act., who shall for a fee, salary or other compensation or reward paid or given directly or indirectly through another.
• Practice of Medical Technology

  1. Examination of tissues,sectreions and excretions of the human body and body fluids by various laboratory procedures and techniques.
  2. Blood banking procedures and techniques
  3. Parasitologenic, myologenic and microbiology procedures and techniques
  4. Histopathologic and cytotechnology Lab quality control
  5. Clinical Research involving patients or humans beings requiring the use of application of medtech knowledge and procedure.
  6. Preparations and standardization of reagents
  7. Clinical Laboratory quality control
  8. Collection and preservation of specimens.
• Medical Technology Code of Ethics (Reviased by Rodolfo Rabor)

  Original by Dr. Nardito Moraleta
• Medical Technology Code of Ethics


  A set of principles that guide the professional conduct of medical technologists
• Responsibilities of medical technologists

  • Accept the responsibilities inherent to being a professional
  • Uphold the law and not engage in illegal work nor cooperate with anyone so engaged
  • Avoid associating or being identified with any enterprise of questionable character
  • Work and act in a strict spirit of fairness to employer, clients, contractors, employees and in a spirit of personal helpfulness and fraternity toward other members of the profession
  • Use only honorable means of competition for professional employment or services and refrain from unfairly injuring, directly or indirectly, the professional reputation, projects or business of a fellow medical technologist
  • Accept employment from more than one employer only when there is no conflict of interest
  • Perform professional work in a manner that merits full confidence and trust carried out with absolute reliability, accuracy, fairness and honesty
  • Review the professional work of other medical technologists, when requested, fairly and in confidence whether they are subordinates or employees, authors of proposals for grants or contracts, authors of technical papers or other publications or involved in litigation
  • Advance the profession by exchanging general information and experience with fellow medical technologists and other professionals and by contributing to the work of professional organizations
  • Restrict praises, criticisms, views and opinions within constructive limits and not use the knowledge for selfish ends
  • Treat any information acquired about individuals in the course of work as strictly confidential, and may be divulged only to authorized persons or entities or with consent of the individual when necessary
  • Report any infractions of these principles of professional conduct to the authorities responsible of enforcement of applicable laws or regulations, or to the Ethics Committee of the Philippine Association of Medical Technologists as may be appropriate
• To these principles, I hereby subscribe and pledge to conduct myself at all times in a manner befitting the dignity of my profession
• Perform Clinical Laboratory Testing 


  A mt must be capable of performing the most basic to the most advanced lab test.
• Perform Special Procedures

  Medical Technologists are also expected to perform special procedures in diagnosing diseases.
• Ensure Accuracy and Precision of Results 


  In performing different procedures to diagnose disease, a mt should always be conscious of the accuracy and precision of both the testing process and its results.
• Be Honest in Practice


  is expeced to be honest in the practice of his or her work. It is important an MT values honesty
• Ensure Timely Delivery of Results

  an MT must be aware of the urgency of delivering results on time especially in cases that require urgent treatment.
• STAT

  Short Turn-Around Time
• Demonstrate Professionalism 


  a mt must be able to perform his/her functions according to the professional code of Ethics.
• Uphold Confidentiality 


  ensuring confidentiality of patient's information in one of the core duties within the medical practice.
• Collaborate with other health care professionals 


  mt is required to collaborate with other health care practitioners in order to build a well-functioning team.
• Conduct Research 


  mt must also be engaged in research activities to update their skills
• Pathologist


  A duly registered physician who is specially trained in methods of laboratory medicine, or the gross and microscopic study and interpretation of tissues, secretions and excretions of the human body and its functions in order to diagnose disease, follow its course, determine the effectivity of treatment, ascertain cause of death, and advance medicine by means of research
• A pathologist is always considered to head a clinical laboratory and monitor all laboratory results
• A laboratory result without the signature of a pathologist may not be considered valid
• Medical laboratory technician


  A person certified by and registered with the Board of Medical Technology and qualified to assist a medical technologist and/or qualified pathologist in the practice of medical technology
• Qualifications to become a medical laboratory technician

  • Failed to pass the medical technology licensure examination given by the Board of Medical Technology but obtained a general rating of at least 70%
  • Passed the civil service examination for medical technicians given on March 21, 1969
  • Finished a two-year college course and has at least one (1) year experience of working as a medical laboratory technician; provided that for every year of experience in college, two (2) years of work experience may be substituted; and provided further, that the applicant has at least ten (10) years of experience as medical laboratory technician as of the date of approval of this decree
• Phlebotomist


  An individual trained to draw blood either for laboratory tests or for blood donations
• Drawing blood

  1. Puncturing the skin for small quantities

  2. Venipuncture or arterial puncture for larger volumes
• Arterial collection


  • Can only be performed by a specially trained phlebotomist
• Phlebotony is a skill confined not only to medical technologists but to other health care practitioners as well, provided that they were given a certification from a reputed certifying or training body
• Phlebotomist 


  In the Philippines, a medical technologist is required to be skilled in phlebotomy.Although, in other countries, phlebotomists need not get a degree (Cardona et al., 2015).They are trained on the job and go through phlebotomy programs sponsored by community colleges which take as little time as two months. After completing the program, they may take an examination for them to be recognized as a certified phlebotomist by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), American Medical Technologist (AMT), and the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
• Cytotechnologist


  A laboratory personnel who works with the pathologist to detect changes in body cells which may be important in the early diagnosis of diseases
• Cytotechnologist's work

  1. Examining microscopic slides of body cells for abnormalities or anomalies in structures, indicating either benign or malignant conditions

  2. Selecting and sectioning minute particles of human tissue for microscopic study, using microtomes and other equipment

  3. Employing stain techniques to make cell structures visible or to differentiate its parts
• Papanicolaou (Pap) test


  A commonly employed staining technique
• H&E


  A commonly employed staining technique
• Histotechnologist


  Also referred to as histotechnican, a laboratory personnel responsible for the routine preparation, processing, and staining of biopsies and tissue specimens for microscopic examination by a pathologist
• There is no formal training for histotechnologists in the Philippines
• Being a histotechnologist is perceived to be a decent paramedical profession abroad
• Histotechnician program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) in the United States


  1. Takes a year to complete

  2. Covers courses in chemistry, histology, immunology, biochemistry, and medical ethics
• Associate degree program in a reputable health facility that includes supervised histology training to gain an associate degree in Applied Science (AAS) major in Histology


  For aspiring histotechnologists