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April 22-28 - National Lab Professionals Week
Allen Lab Staff have been celebrating National Lab Professionals week this past week. Laboratory professionals represent a key component in the diagnostic quality of any healthcare facility. They are responsible for helping physicians diagnose through testing, many diseases and disease states. A series of blood tests taken in the lab can provide a wealth of understanding to your physician, from anemia to cardiac distress. A tissue sample sent to pathology can help with early detection for cancer or diagnosis of benign disease states. A swab from a wound sent to microbiology can help determine if appropriate antibiotics have been administered.
There are many different job classifications within the medical laboratory. Cytologists and Histologists, among other things, help Pathologists process surgical and gynecological samples that are reviewed for abnormal cells. Phlebotomists collect blood samples that are brought to the lab to be tested. Medical technology staff perform testing on blood, urine, CSF and other samples. Technologists are trained in many areas: Blood Bank, Chemistry, Hematology, Microbiology and Urinalysis and must prove yearly competency in any area they work. There are many support staff as well that help keep the office running smoothly. Office professionals order and register almost all samples that come to the lab for testing. They also contact physician offices to notify them of issues or concerns with samples we receive.
In 2011, the Allen Laboratory Services performed 1,147,102 billed tests and 150,000 venipunctures.
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