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Members of the Lab Control staff process Children’s
samples.
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20 to 26 is National Laboratory Week, a time to recognize the vital
role laboratory professionals play in health care. The Department
of Laboratory Medicine consists of four divisions Core Lab,
Infectious Diseases Diagnostic Lab, Transfusion Medicine and Laboratory
Support Services and smaller specialty labs.
Together, these labs perform more than 1.5 million tests
per year for Children’s patients and the pediatric clinic
at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. “We also provide testing
services to more than 100 healthcare facilities and more than 200
research studies,” says to Mary Ellen
Cortizas, JD, administrative director of the labs.
A dedicated staff of 180 phlebotomists, technologists
and laboratory scientists handle this massive workload. Much of
the work is performed around the clock and out of sight of the rest
of the hospital.
Some of the most important steps in lab testing begin
within Lab Support Services, Phlebotomy and Lab Control. The Phlebotomy
draws blood for inpatients, and over 100 outpatients each day. “Lab
Control is the central processing area for all Children’s
lab samples,” says lab manager Michele
Hope, MHA, MT (ASCP). “It also sends close to 5,000
specimens to reference labs each month.”
The Infectious Diseases Diagnostic Lab, where staff
work closely with clinicians to provide early diagnosis and optimum
management of infectious diseases, is home to what lab manager Janet
Matsubara, MS, MT (ASCP), describes as “the microbe
sleuths who identify infectious agents in body fluids and tissues.”
Despite the advanced technology employed in microbiology, says Matsubara,
there is little automation. “Most of the work depends on the
experience, the eyes and even the nose of the technologist.”
Transfusion Medicine Services is home to the hospital’s
Blood Donor Center and Blood Bank. The Donor Center sees close to
15,000 donors a year and collects approximately 10,000 units of
blood and 2,000 units of platelets while The Blood Bank processes
these donations and provides blood to patients throughout Children’s
and the Jimmy Fund Clinic. “In 2002 15,000 units of blood
were cross-matched for patients,” says lab manager Maureen
Beaton, MT (ASCP) BB.
The Core Lab, managed by Mary
Jo Hipp, MS, MT (ASCP), comprises the Hematology, Chemistry,
Endocrinology, Non-cellular immunology, Urinalysis and Coagulation
labs. The Core Lab is highly automated, with cutting-edge technology
performing the bulk of the clinical tests performed each year.
In honor of National Laboratory Week, Children’s
clinical labs will celebrate with a variety of events around the
theme of wellness, including group yoga, a stress and relaxation
seminar, chair massage and more. “We are happy to honor these
unsung heroes of the hospital,” says Orah
Platt, MD chief of Laboratory Medicine. “They work
around the clock to generate the critical results that count for
our patients.” |
