Over the holiday season, Medical Laboratory Observer (MLO) asked 50 laboratory professionals what they would most like to gift their lab if they could. They expressed a number of things that could streamline laboratory operations.
The question came from a November online exclusive article, “Inside the lab of 2026: Insights from 12 laboratory experts,” where Editor-in-Chief Christina Wichmann asked 12 laboratory professionals what trends they see on the horizon and what challenges they hope are solved in laboratories in 2026.
The lab of the future will require certain resources to overcome these obstacles. An overwhelming 76% of our poll respondents wish they could give their lab more skilled laboratory professionals to combat the workforce shortage, while none answered eco-friendly materials that don’t compromise the integrity of tests. Additional findings:
- 10% expressed interest in more opportunities for education/training
- 6% would gift their lab artificial intelligence (AI) tools to streamline laboratory workflow
- 4% said CMS/CLIA regulatory reform
- An additional 4% want stronger clinical collaboration rather than siloed departments for their labs
Thank you to everyone who responded to our poll!
