Assessment of the Level of Awareness and Preparedness of Medical Technologists in Molecular Diagnosis

Abstract

The emergence of molecular diagnostics is a growing trend in the Philippine healthcare systems. The molecular techniques applied to diagnosing infectious diseases have been more appreciated in the COVID-19 pandemic, wherein Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT- PCR) has become the gold standard in detecting SARS-COV2. As a result, there has been an increasing demand for molecular techniques in the clinical laboratory. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of awareness and preparedness of medical technologies on molecular diagnostic techniques in the National Capital Region and to determine the relationship between the level of awareness and level of preparedness. A descriptive-correlational study was conducted using an online survey through Google forms, sent to 67 medical technologists trained on molecular diagnosis and working in a hospital or clinical laboratory in the National Capital Region. Data analysis utilized SPSS software; results were analyzed using frequencies and percentages. A weighted mean value of 3.07 was computed for the overall awareness and overall preparedness interpreted as "moderately aware" and "moderately prepared," respectively. The Pearson r correlation coefficient is 0.755 with a p-value of less than 0.05, indicating a strong correlation. There is a significant relationship between the level of awareness and the level of preparedness of the respondents. The emergence of new molecular diagnostic procedures requires medical technologists to have relevant training programs and refresher courses to reinforce their awareness and improve their preparedness in terms of practical application in the clinical setting.