GCVHCS Laboratory Professionals Celebrate Medical Laboratory Professionals Week

National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (MLPW), nationally recognized during the last full week of April, provides an opportunity to increase public awareness and understanding and appreciation for laboratory professionals, according to GCVHCS Assistant Chief of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) Marthena Moffett.

"[National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week] honors laboratory professionals by showcasing their invaluable contributions which directly impact clinical and public health," she said. "The men and women who staff the GCVHCS laboratories are often unseen but play a critical role in Veteran health care through their capability of running, reading and reporting laboratory results, something directly impacting patient care."

Moffett added that the MLPW 2022 theme of Giving the Gift of Health is particularly apt; the ongoing global health crisis created an increased need for medical laboratory services, something she said the GCVHCS laboratory team took in stride.

"We saw an increased demand for our services during the past two years and the concerted efforts of our GCVHCS team provided invaluable data for our front-line providers to determine care options," Moffett said. "Our laboratory professionals give results to health care providers to improve public health and patient care, driving innovation and fostering health equity.”

Although GCVHCS laboratory employees generally have limited interaction with Veterans, the impact these employees have can represent a critical juncture in beneficiary health care, Moffett said. Their efforts can assist front-line health care providers in determining the correct lab tests to administer and ensuring the proper collection method for thousands of samples annually. She added that, upon receipt of a specimen, GCVHCS laboratory professionals will analyze, interpret and report the results to pathologists who confirm the findings, something which can directly impact health care.

"The efforts of the medical professionals who staff our labs in facilities across our health system play an ongoing role in ensuring the Veterans we care for receive the best care possible," Moffett said. "Their dedication and perseverance through some of the most challenging global public health issues faced in generations is a testament to the care we provide to our Veterans and I couldn't be more proud of the GCVHCS laboratory team."

Moffett also said that medical laboratory scientists and clinical laboratory scientists have a variety of academic pursuits, ranging from four-year bachelor’s degrees to advanced studies. She added that individuals choosing to work as medical laboratory professionals are generally trained in microbiology, virology, parasitology, mycology, immunology, chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, molecular testing, blood bank and serological testing, along with practical applications in testing methodology, disease processes and clinical and the laboratory presentation of diseases.

National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, originated in 1975 is sponsored by American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) and coordinated by 17 national clinical laboratory organizations.

The GCVHCS is comprised of the Biloxi Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center and the Mobile, Pensacola, Eglin and Panama City community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs). Headquartered in Biloxi, Mississippi, the GCVHCS provides a variety of medical outpatient services to more than 82,000 Veterans and other eligible beneficiaries along the Mississippi, Alabama and Florida Gulf Coast.