A shortage is emerging in Outaouais laboratories

A shortage is emerging in Outaouais laboratories

After the crisis in medical imaging, another shortage is now raising concerns within the Outaouais health network: that of medical technologists.

According to reported information, barely half of the positions are currently filled in one of the laboratories at the Gatineau Hospital, and the situation is also worrying in certain facilities in Wakefield and the Petite‑Nation area.

Yet medical technologists play a crucial role in laboratory analyses, including blood tests, diagnostics, and patient treatment.

The staffing shortage affects all work shifts—day, evening, and night—adding pressure to the teams already in place.

A union warns that without concrete measures, such as attraction and retention bonuses, the Outaouais could face another major crisis in its health‑care system.

The region is also continuing to struggle with recruitment challenges across several specialized medical sectors.