Laboratory services are essential components of the healthcare system. They help provide quality laboratory testing to patients and assist physicians in making clinical decisions. Laboratory tests are used daily in clinical settings to diagnose illnesses or diseases that may not be visible on an X-ray or MRI scan.
The Role of Clinical Laboratory Services in the Healthcare Sector
In the United States, laboratory services are a fundamental part of healthcare. In fact, laboratory testing is a vital component that helps a doctor diagnose and prescribe treatment for a patient.
Here are five things to expect when you visit a clinical lab:
1. Phlebotomy
It is the act of obtaining blood for laboratory testing. A laboratory technician will begin by cleaning and preparing the patient's skin at the site where blood is to be drawn. To make the draw easier, the laboratory assistant may raise a vein in this area.
The laboratory assistant then inserts a needle into one of these veins and draws the blood. They then place the blood into a vial or test tube, label it with the patient's name and their own initials, seal the vial tightly, and send the sample to the laboratory for testing.
2. Blood Chemistry
Once a blood sample has been collected, it will be analyzed to help assess the patient's general health. The detailed analysis allows laboratory technicians to assess various levels of electrolytes in the body, including sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, and calcium. These chemicals are found in bodily fluids and give laboratory technicians a healthy picture of their patient's organs, bones, muscles, nerves, etc.
3. Urine Testing
Urine testing includes laboratory analysis of the patient's urine. These laboratory tests are performed to help identify biomarkers in the urine, which can reflect various conditions, including normal kidney function and certain types of infections.
4. Stool Testing
Stool testing is a laboratory method used to detect parasites. Parasites are small organisms that live in or on people's bodies. Stool testing works by detecting parasitic ova and parasite cysts in stool samples. Laboratory methods used for this type of testing include microscopy, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immune fecalysis, and molecular biology.
5. Hematology Laboratory Testing
This testing is a laboratory analysis of the patient's blood to create a complete blood count (CBC). The CBC tests various blood components, including red cells, white cells, platelets, and hemoglobin, by using laboratory equipment, such as a microscope or flow cytometer.
The Bottom Line
Clinical laboratory services play an essential role in the health sector. They help in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases by testing samples taken from patients. Lab technicians work with cutting-edge diagnostic equipment to provide accurate results quickly while following strict safety guidelines set out by government regulatory agencies.
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