Ladonna Bradley, MT(ASCP), a senior healthcare consultant with ARUP Healthcare Advisory Services, was drawn to the medical technology and laboratory science fields by her passion for math and science, as well as by a health scare in her teenage years.

“I experienced a significant health event that led to my hospitalization. Throughout that time, I underwent multiple tests, and I found myself curious about what was being ordered and what the results would mean for my diagnosis and treatment. And that curiosity really stayed with me, sparking my desire to learn more about the laboratory itself,” she said.

Her curiosity led Bradley to earn her bachelor’s degree in medical technology from East Tennessee State University. “Medical technology not only satisfied my love for science, but it also gave me the opportunity to play a crucial role in healthcare by providing accurate and essential diagnostic information to clinicians and their patients,” she said.

Bradley began her career as a laboratory generalist at Holston Valley Hospital, which allowed her to develop a broad foundation of experience in laboratory testing and operations. Then she became supervisor of the urinalysis and body fluid department. Shortly after Bradley stepped into that role, Holston Valley merged with other hospitals to form Wellmont Health System, which opened up an opportunity for her to become chemistry supervisor at Bristol Regional Medical Center, one of the system’s other hospitals.

“In that role, my career quickly accelerated, and I soon moved into the position of laboratory manager. Within a year I was promoted to administrative laboratory director, and I worked in that capacity for 14 years,” Bradley said.

Toward the end of that time, the laboratory was acquired by a large, commercial lab. “That transition brought a host of challenges, including administrative hurdles, staffing challenges, a reduced on-site test menu, and turnaround time issues, just to name a few,” she said. “After navigating that for a few years, I decided to pursue a leadership opportunity in a neighboring health system that still owned and operated its laboratories.”

Bradley has always taken quality and compliance very seriously. “It’s a reflection on the laboratory and the work that we do,” she explained. As a laboratory director, she worked to ensure her laboratory performed well on College of American Pathologists (CAP) inspections. “The last inspection that I had as a laboratory director, we had zero deficiencies. We went above and beyond to make sure we had everything in order—and it really paid off. It was something that, as a team, we could be very proud of.”

Bradley served with Mountain States Health Alliance for three years and then decided to make the jump to ARUP Healthcare Advisory Services. As a senior healthcare consultant, Bradley leverages the skills and experiences she gained from a 25-year laboratory career to help clients contend with their many challenges.

“Having been in their position, I understand the issues they face,” she said. “That brings a level of credibility to the role. I have been in their shoes, and I have experienced some of the things they’re going through, whether it’s a buyout by a commercial lab or the day-to-day challenges of staffing and accreditation and making the most of limited resources.”

With her extensive background as a laboratory director, Bradley brings unique expertise in quality management systems and regulatory and compliance issues. She can also help clients take a close look at their technical operations to make them more efficient and effective.

Laboratory directors are often so enmeshed in the daily details of running a laboratory that they don’t have the space to step back and take a wider view of the operations or assess what might need to change. “What can I do differently? Do I need to focus more on stewardship? Do I need to look at expanding outreach—and how would I do that? My role as a consultant is to be that extra set of eyes and ears in the operation so I can give them recommendations for improvement,” Bradley said.