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Gainesville VA Cuts Diagnosis Time for Blood Cancers

Nine people stand in a lab, smiling for a group photo.
Pictured at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, the NF/SGVHS hematology and flow cytometry team plays a key role in providing Veterans with faster, more accurate blood cancer diagnoses

By Katie Butler, Public Affairs Specialist

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System (NF/SGVHS) is diagnosing serious blood conditions faster than ever, thanks to a new Flow Cytometry Department and an improved hematology workflow at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center.

Flow cytometry is a lab test that uses lasers to examine blood and tissue cells. The test helps doctors quickly identify abnormal cells, making it especially important for detecting blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma. The technology provides detailed information that traditional testing often cannot deliver as fast.

The health system created a centralized department and redesigned its workflow to move samples more quickly between clinics, hematology specialists and pathologists. According to hematology leaders, the improvements now allow teams to complete complex testing in about a day, a process that once took five to seven days.

A recent case showed how the new system works. During a routine review, a technologist at a satellite clinic spotted abnormal cells on a blood smear and immediately contacted the hematology team in Gainesville. The sample was flagged for rapid pathologist review and sent to the Flow Cytometry Department. Testing was finished within hours, and the confirmed diagnosis allowed the Veteran to be admitted for urgent care within 16 hours.

“We’re catching serious findings earlier and more reliably,” said Dr. Robert Allan, Chief of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service. “What used to take days can now be done in hours, giving clinicians the information they need to act quickly and deliver prompt, life‑saving care for Veterans.”

Early detection is critical for Veterans, especially older adults who face a higher risk of blood‑related conditions. Faster lab results mean fewer delays, quicker treatment decisions and more reliable care when minutes matter.

These improvements support NF/SGVHS’s commitment to modernization, high‑reliability practices and faster access to life‑saving care.

Veterans with questions about hematology testing or follow‑up care are encouraged to contact their primary care team.