Laboratory at Western
Learn More About Laboratory Services at Western: Chat with Us | Email Us
The Department of Laboratory Services at CTCA at Western Regional Medical Center (Western) plays an important role in patient care. Laboratory tests help in cancer diagnosis, staging, and treatment planning. These tests include those of the blood, urine, or other bodily fluids. The goal is to ensure that you receive the appropriate cancer treatment.
Skilled medical technologists work behind the scenes at Western's laboratory. The team prides itself in rapid turnaround times for in-house blood tests so that you are not waiting for results to determine a treatment plan.
For Your Convenience
Each department at Western utilizes “Point of Care” or “POC” service. This means that services are provided to you at the point where you are cared for. In the laboratory's case, this means taking blood and specimen samples in your room. Additionally, clinicians and other specialists from conventional and complementary medicine departments use this approach whenever possible.
Director of Laboratory Services, Marilyn Ward says, “We take the services to the patient, not the patient to the services. This process decreases wait time for everyone concerned with the patients’ care.”
Advanced Technology
The i-STAT® is one way in which the Western laboratory offers “Point of Care” service. This handheld laboratory device utilizes a small cartridge that enables blood tests to be taken and read at the bedside. Currently, the I-STAT® is used exclusively by the cardiopulmonary team for Arterial Blood Gases. i-STAT® will soon be used for a broader range of tests to include chemistry and protime testing for the new Coumadin Clinic.
Depending on the blood test involved, this device can deliver results within a matter of minutes. This way, your care team can review the results and make any changes to your treatment plan within several hours.
Ward adds, "Instead of using phlebotomists, trained nurses actually draw all blood samples at the bedside which is different than most hospital facilities Our patients develop trusting relationships with our nurses. This bond is enhanced by our POC model at Western."
Another pilot program currently taking place at Western is the Sunquest Collection Manager project. This state of the art handheld device allows nurses to scan your bar coded armband, thereby eliminating identification errors and protecting patients.
According to Marilyn, “Once Collection Manager is activated, labels are printed. Patient information and lab requirements are printed on these labels. All of these vital steps create a level of confidence and ensure patient safety.”
Services
Aside from blood tests, other key divisions of the Laboratory include processing of blood, chemistry, transfusion services, hematology, and urinalysis.
Chemistry
This group of tests uses chemical processes to measure levels of chemical components in the blood or urine to help evaluate your general health status. Some components include blood glucose (sugar), electrolytes, enzymes (e.g., creatinine kinase), lipids (e.g., cholesterol), proteins (e.g., albumin, globulins), horomones (e.g., cortisol), and other metabolic substances (e.g., uric acid, blood urea nitrogen, or BUN). Some special chemistry tests deal primarily with tests for thyroid function, vitamin B12 and folate, and tumor markers.
- Tumor Market Tests: A tumor marker is a substance that can be found in the blood or other bodily fluids which may be elevated in a person with cancer. Aside from detecting the presence of cancer, tumor markers are used to monitor your response to therapy. Tumor marker testing turnaround time is approximately two hours from the time blood is taken at Western. Ward explains, “Patients who visit other facilities than CTCA may have to wait a week or two for these results to come back.”
Blood Bank/Transfusion Services
One specialty within the Laboratory is transfusion medicine, otherwise known as the blood bank. Medical technologists in the blood bank are responsible for insuring that blood products given to you are compatible with each patient’s blood. Donated blood is screened for infectious diseases and tested for antibodies.
Hematology
Hematology is the study of blood cells and blood-related disorders. Tests performed by this team include complete blood counts (CBC), differentials, body fluid analysis and bone marrow procedures. The results are used to monitor your general health.
- Complete Blood Count (CBC): CBCs are performed on an analyzer using laser technology, which measures the reflection of the laser light from each individual cell, and in turn, provides cell identification. CBCs are used to gage your ability to receive additional therapy. The analyses may also help diagnose anemia, blood cancers, and problems in the bone marrow. A CBC can include white blood cell count (WBC), red blood cell count (RBC), platelet count, differential blood count, hematocrit red blood cell volume (HCT), and hemoglobin concentration (HB).
- Coagulation Tests: These tests are used to measure platelet function, coagulability, and clotting ability to help diagnose and/or to monitor bleeding and clotting disorders, as well as anticoagulation (anti-clotting) therapies (e.g., heparin therapy). Bleeding and clotting disorders can result from cancers such as liver disease, or as a side effect of certain medications.
- Urinanalysis (UA) Test: This test determines the content of urine to help diagnose infections (e.g., of the kidney, bladder) and disease. It includes examination of color, pH level, red and white blood cells, bacteria, and other substances, and chemical analysis of blood, proteins, glucose, and other substances.
