CDHS Laboratory Infrastructure at Risk

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CDHS Laboratory Infrastructure at Risk

• Presented by
• Jim Ware, CLS, MS, PHM II - MDL Special Pathogens
  Lab
• Jason R. Barash, CLS, MT(ASCP), PHM Specialist
  IBTPP Lab
• Christopher Preas, PHM II (Virology) VRDL
  Serology Lab

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Richmond campus
Microbial Diseases Laboratory Infant Botulism
Laboratory
Viral Rickettsial Diseases Laboratory
The Division of Communicable Disease Control
(DCDC) works in partnership with local, national
and international health officials, health care
providers, and the public to monitor health,
identify and investigate existing and potential
health problems, develop and implement prevention
strategies, conduct research, provide education
and training, and formulate and advise on public
health policy.
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Who do we represent ?

• The Public Health Microbiologists of the
• Microbial Diseases Laboratory
• Viral and Rickettsial Diseases Laboratory
• Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program
  Laboratory

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Why are we here today?

• To explain why it is imperative that our
  salaries be adjusted to reach parity with the
  microbiologists who perform similar work in local
  county, clinical and private sector laboratories.

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What does a Public Health Microbiologist do?

• Everyday we protect your
• food and water
• And protect you from
• rabies
• salmonella
• myriad other diseases

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What does a Public Health Microbiologist do?

• Among other responsibilities, we are specially
  trained to work with and identify the bacterial
  and viral agents which cause these real diseases
• Please excuse the graphic nature
• of these pictures

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Infant Botulism Clostridium botulinum
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Bubonic Plague Yersinia pestis
Enlarged axillary lymph node (buboe) extremely
painful
Enlarged inguinal lymph node (buboe) extremely
painful
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Cutaneous Anthrax Bacillus anthracis
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Tularemia Francisella tularensis
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Clinical Progression of Smallpox Variola major
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Mumps
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Avian Influenza H5N1 Virus
Pathogenic H5 avian influenza infected chicken
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How we protect ourselves in the laboratory from
these agents
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So, what is the problem?

• We are unable to recruit new microbiologists.
• We are unable to retain microbiologists we train
  in our training program.
• We are losing highly trained, experienced staff
  to other local county, clinical and private
  industry laboratories.

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CA State Department of Health Services Public
Health Microbiologist Losses Last 10 Years

• Private Industry 9
• County Public Health Labs 8
• Kaiser Regional Lab 7
• Transfers to other depts 9
• Retirement 22
• Other reasons 9
• Total lost microbiologists 64

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How many new employees?

• We have gained on average approximately 1 new
  employee per year in the last 10 years for every
  6 that have left.

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Salary Comparison for Public Health
Microbiologist II to County Health Departments
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Salary Comparison for State Public Health
Microbiologist II to the Private Sector
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Why are we here today?

• To explain why it is imperative that our
  salaries be adjusted to reach parity with the
  microbiologists who perform similar work in local
  county, clinical and private sector laboratories.
• This would require a minimum salary
  adjustment of 25,000 per year.

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Why are we asking for higher salaries?

• Minimum Education required to become a PHM
• BS in biological science
• Intensive 6-month post-graduate training by
  CA-approved program
• Successful completion of a State board
  examination to practice as a licensed PHM
• In addition, most of our colleagues also have
  Masters degrees or the license required to
  practice as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist

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Continued

• We serve as the public health reference
  laboratory for all the other labs whose
  employees now make significantly higher
  salaries than ours
• The chief reason why we ask for higher
  salariessupply and demand. There are too few of
  us to adequately do the job that all Californians
  need us to do!

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Impact if current trend persists

• Weakened public health infrastructure
• Additional loss of laboratory services
• Significant delays in outbreak investigations
• Potential increase in illness / death