Lab Professionals Save Lives: Recognizing Lab Week 2021
We’re celebrating this year’s Medical Laboratory Professionals Week from April 18 to 21. This week—and every week—lab professionals around the world deserve our recognition and appreciation.
The Value of Lab Professionals
Lab professionals work tirelessly for the patients and healthcare institutions they serve. Especially in the face of a global pandemic, the work of lab professionals is critical to diagnosing and preventing disease, as well as improving and maintaining public health and safety. Behind the scenes, lab professionals play a critical—and often lifesaving—role in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. Just one key diagnosis can inform optimal treatment and save the life of a patient.
In a single year, over 14 billion laboratory tests are ordered in the United States alone. 1 The various tests that are performed in clinical laboratories—and, more importantly, the technologists who perform these tests, interpret and deliver results, and oversee lab operations—form the foundation of our healthcare system. In fact, up to 70% of medical decisions are influenced by laboratory results.1
In 2021, over a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, we are more grateful than ever for the critical, behind-the-scenes impact of lab professionals. On top of the business-as-usual billions of test orders, lab professionals have been facing an immense burden since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, which brought with it record-breaking demand for rapid and reliable laboratory testing, as well as increased safety and sanitization protocols.
Diagnostic stewardship efforts like ensuring appropriate testing is available promotes antimicrobial stewardship efforts to identify appropriate treatment options. Lab professionals that perform testing for COVID-19 and testing for other disease states give healthcare providers the actionable answers they need to improve patient management and save lives every day.
Read more about laboratory technologists—the hidden heroes of healthcare—here.
Syndromic Testing in the Lab
BioFire’s syndromic testing solutions are designed to integrate easily and effectively into clinical laboratory operations. Requiring just two minutes of hands-on time, the BioFire® FilmArray® System facilitates around-the-clock molecular testing to streamline lab workflow and maximize productivity.
Syndromic testing from BioFire is fast, accurate, and comprehensive. Choosing the right test, the first time means fewer downstream testing and procedures and fewer send-out tests, helping lab professionals utilize their resources as effectively as possible. Rapid, reliable lab results can also help healthcare providers identify optimal treatments and reduce unnecessary antibiotics use.
Learn more about BioFire’s innovative diagnostic solutions for laboratories here.
