Commentary - 374th MDG honors laboratory teams during National Medical Laboratory Professionals' week

  • Published
  • By Maj. Jessica Hughes
  • 374th Medical Support Squadron
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  During National Medical Laboratory Professionals' Week, April 22-28, the 374th Medical Group recognizes its laboratory professionals for their dedication as a crucial member of the health care team, collaborating together to improve patient care and outcomes.

From small practices in rural towns to metropolitan hospitals, more than 300,000 medical laboratory professionals deliver accurate test results every day and serve as part of the health care team to guide and assess patient's ongoing treatment and care.

I salute our outstanding laboratory technicians and all laboratory teams across the Air Force working together to provide accurate results for patients. You are the cornerstone of diagnosis and an integral part of the larger patient care team, directly contributing to preserving and enhancing patients' lives.

During Lab Week 2012, the 374th MDG is celebrating laboratory professionals' contribution to patient care. Lab Week's theme, Laboratory Professionals Get Results, recognizes the proactive, collaborative role laboratory professionals play in advancing patient care.

During the week, between 1400 and 1600 staff will provide tours of the laboratory and give insight into the variety of testing and methods utilized to provide laboratory results.

Using state-of-the-art technology and instrumentation, laboratory professionals perform and supervise tests that lead to the detection of potential health problems; the sooner a disease is caught, the likelihood increases for a positive outcome.

The 374th MDG laboratory is accredited by the College of American Pathologists. The CAP, celebrating 50 years as the gold standard in laboratory accreditation, is a medical society serving more than 18,000 physician members and the global laboratory community.

It is the world's largest association composed exclusively of board-certified pathologists and is the worldwide leader in laboratory quality assurance. The College advocates accountable, high-quality, and cost-effective patient care.