Hematology

Lesia Dunn, Medical Laboratory Technologist

Clinical laboratory science aids the physician in discovering information about the health of a patient as pertaining to diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease.  Utilizing current technology as well as manual techniques, blood, body fluids, tissues and cells are analyzed to identify appropriate diagnosis as well as measure for the efficacy of particular treatments.

The highly skilled laboratory professionals at Associates in Oncology and Hematology focus on collecting, processing and analyzing biological specimens, performing laboratory procedures, maintaining instruments as well as relate findings to appropriate staff for follow up.  Most utilized by its staff is phlebotomy which is a necessary medical procedure and is required for diagnosis, treatment and a variety of other procedures.

Phlebotomy, or the act of removing blood from a vein or artery through a needle stick to obtain a sample for analysis and diagnosis, is done as part of the patient’s treatment.  The amount of blood drawn depends on the purpose and varies widely with the type test being conducted.  In addition, some patients having their blood drawn may be asked to temporarily discontinue medications or avoid food (to fast) for a period of time before the test as to not influence results. After the blood is drawn and needle removed, pressure is placed on the puncture site to stop bleeding.  Some patients may have a small bruise or mild soreness at the puncture site for several days which is easily managed.  Properly performed, phlebotomy does not carry the risk of mortality.

The laboratory at Associates in Oncology and Hematology also has access to a local hospital system.  This allows computers to exchange data about patients as well as test requests and results.  This aids in keeping track of each individual patient and specimen histories.  Furthermore, it helps to guarantee a better quality of results as well as being able to print hard copies for the patient’s charts and doctors to check.

The credibility of the laboratory is paramount to the health and safety of its patients relying on the testing services provided by them.  The lab at Associates in Oncology and Hematology holds a full accreditation by CLIA or the Clinical Lab Improvement Amendment which dictates testing and personnel.  The regulations contained in CLIA are enforced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services who provide guidance and enforcement of standards.

For more information about the laboratory or other services provided by Associates in Oncology and Hematology call 622-2337.

References

Clinical Laboratory Technologist/Technician. Explorehealthcareers.org. Retrieved from http://explorehealthcareers.org/en//Caqreer/28/Clinical_Laboratory_TechnologistTechnician 5/9/2011.

Medical Laboratory. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_laboratory  5/11/2011.

Phlebotomy. Encyclopedia of Surgery. Retrieved from http://www.surgeryencyclopedia.com/Pa-St/Phlebotomy.html 5/9/2011.