Lab Testing “More important that you know”

Sonia Maljian, Laboratory Director at Methodist Hospital of Southern California,  provided Arcadia Rotarians with an insightful glimpse into hospital lab testing.  Sonia immigrated from Lebanon, educated in the U.S. and a current board of education member for Cal State LA.

Sonia explained that there are 4 departments involved in laboratory analysis at Methodist:

1. Microbiology (Infections)
2. Chemistry (metabolic analysis)
3. Haematology (blood related diseases)
4. Blood Banking

All blood, urine testing in a hospital environment must be done by state licensed technologists or Clinical Lab Scientists (CLT’s).  Currently much of the population is aging and or retiring creating a shortage of CLTs.

At Methodist hospital pathology work is outsourced, however, most of the blood & fluid analysis done for each patient is done within one of the hospitals 4 lab departments.  Methodist also has sophisticated machines that can analyze both blood and urine very quickly, providing doctors with needed analysis.  Sonia noted that approximately 60% of treatments are determined by what is identified in the fluid analysis.

Rotarians asked about the time it takes to get an analysis completed; hours to days.  The question was also posed about the mrsa virus.  Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body, and particularly antibiotic resistant. The bacteria exists on humans and in all hospitals and Methodist is careful to isolate patients that exhibit signs of infection following surgery.

Sonia reinforced that we should be diligent in completing all antibiotic prescriptions and in taking any medicine.  Take it as prescribed, on time and in the correct dosages.  Failure to do so can cause severe problems.  Sonia distributed a refrigerator magnet for STROKE awareness signs.  Thank you Sonia Maljian.