GRAFTON—Among the staff at a hospital are a group of dedicated individuals responsible for using the samples collected to help diagnose, treat and care for patients.
Because of their hard work, diagnoses can be made and conditions treated, earning the medical laboratory scientists at Grafton City Hospital (GCH) the right to recognition.
Each year, medical laboratory staff and pathologists are celebrated during National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week.
Locally, Graton City Hospital will recognize its laboratory staff, who play a vital role in healthcare and patient advocacy, at the national event taking place next week, April 24-30.
And unlike previous years, the hospital will be celebrating this special week in a new way.
“This year we are planning something different,” shared Andrea L. Grey, MT, Technical Supervisor, Technical Consultant at Grafton City Hospital. “We are hosting a 5k run/walk to raise money for a scholarship to help a student enrolled in an MLT/MLS school and an opportunity for staff to attend a professional conference.”
Join GCH in the beautiful and scenic setting of Tygart Lake State Park for their Lab For Life, 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, April 30.
Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m., where walkers and runners can register to participate in the event. Pre-registration is now at a reduced cost of $20 per candidate, and day of registration can be done for $25, which includes an official Lab for Life commemorative t-shirt.
“Children under 12 can participate for free with a registered adult,” Gray revealed.
The excitement begins at 8:30 a.m. and the awards for the top three men and women in the 5K will be presented beginning at 10:00 a.m. In addition, rewards will also be given. to the first three men and women in each of the following age groups for the 5 km: 12-20; 20-30; 30-40; and 50 years and over.
Registration forms are available on the hospital’s Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/gchwv. Those who pay by check should be made payable to GCH.
“We hope you all come join us for this exciting run/walk, as we celebrate our lab staff,” Gray said.
National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week was instituted in 1975, when the American Society for Medical Technology, now the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science, launched the campaign to help raise awareness of these professionals and their role crucial in health care.
The purpose of the week is to celebrate and recognize clinical laboratory personnel who deliver results in hospitals and medical facilities across the country. In addition to medical technologists, various organizations participate in the event each year.
“Medical laboratory scientists are highly trained healthcare professionals who collect, process, and analyze bodily fluids such as blood, tissue samples, and other bodily fluids,” Gray said. “Their work is essential to properly diagnose, treat and care for patients.”
These professionals are key members of today’s health care team.
“Lab results contribute to more than 70% of medical decisions in healthcare. These scientists are dedicated to obtaining accurate and timely results to ensure excellent patient care,” added Gray.
Every day, nurses, doctors and other medical staff depend on this group of people not only to perform the tests, but also to interpret their results and help provide a complete picture of a patient’s health.
With their education and training, laboratory professionals can help assess any medical problem a person is facing.
Using modern biomedical equipment and complex analyses, laboratory workers can detect the presence of cancer, identify infectious viruses and bacteria, and measure blood glucose, cholesterol, or drug levels.
“Without this precise and valuable information, medicine would simply become guesswork,” Gray noted.
She said their goal is to provide accurate and timely results to ensure excellent patient care.
Patients can receive a high level of care without leaving Taylor County by choosing to have their lab work performed at GCH, even if they are not hospital patients. Services offered at the local laboratory include blood banking, hematology, chemistry, coagulation, serology and urinalysis.
“All patients have to do is bring in their lab order and the team will take care of the rest,” Gray said. “Our wait time is usually less than 15 minutes for most.”
Staff can immediately fax results after the test is complete to the patient’s provider, and their tests are consistent with those of much larger labs, allowing them to provide patients with the same high quality of care.
“Whatever the setting, behind the scenes or in your community, lab professionals are by your side, working as key members of your healthcare team,” Gray said. “From April 24-30, please join these professionals in celebrating Medical Laboratory Professionals Week and their vital role in promoting and protecting your health.