Lindsay Kimbrell is a Medical Technologist in the Microbiology Lab
This week marks National Medical Laboratory Professionals week, and we wanted to share the impact that medical lab professionals have in health care every day.
For most patients, their interaction with the pathology lab is limited to the doctor’s office or the hospital where their blood is drawn or a specimen taken. But, the results from the more than 1 billion laboratory tests performed each year in the United States make a big difference to patients throughout the country, because more than 70 percent of objective information used to make diagnostic decisions is derived from the clinical laboratory.
The pathology lab at WakeMed has a workforce of nearly 250 pathologists, medical technologists, cytotechnologists, histotechnologists, phlebotomists, administrative, and support staff from all WakeMed locations. Throughout the WakeMed system just last week, the pathology lab was responsible for 42,000 lab specimens. This is an average of one specimen every 15 seconds 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
During National Medical Laboratory Professionals week, we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the clinicians and physicians who trust us to process and interpret the results of the patients they care for. And to our outstanding lab employees, thank you for everything you do.
“This is an average of one specimen every 15 seconds 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
Remind me to schedule a vacation…STAT!