Time to celebrate medical lab professionals
(CNS Local Life): Laboratory professionals at the Health Services Authority (HSA) will dedicate time from their usual behind-the-scenes roles to celebrate Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, otherwise known as Lab Week, 21-27 April. Recognised internationally the last week of April each year, Lab Week is a time to acknowledge medical lab professionals who play a vital part in healthcare and patient support.
This year’s theme is “Get results: Take your lab to the next level”. As members of the Caribbean Association of Medical Technologists’ (CASMET) Cayman Islands branch, professionals from the HSA and other labs across Cayman have combined efforts to host two public events focused on the early detection and improvement of patients’ results, stated an HSA press release.
A free health screening will take place Saturday, 20 April at Foster’s Food Fair in Countryside Shopping Village, from 8am-1pm. Health checks will include cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure and HBA1C, also known Glyco Hb. A physician will also be on site to answer any questions people have about their results.
A Lab Week 5K Fun Walk/Run will be held Sunday, 28 April at 5:30am, with the route beginning and ending at Smith Cove. Registration is $20 with T-shirts, awards and prizes given out.
“As laboratory professionals we may not interact directly with patients but we play a crucial role in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of disease in patients,” said HSA Medical Technologist Marcia Robinson-Walters, who is also vice president of the regional council of CASMET and chairperson of the Cayman Islands branch.
“The tests we conduct help determine the presence, extent or absence of disease and monitor the effectiveness of treatment.”
Robinson-Walters added, “Though we work hard behind the scenes to provide the quality service our patients need, we want to take the opportunity during Lab Week to be proactive with patient results.
“The free health screenings improve the chance of early detection and walk/run events are fun and social ways to promote health and fitness. We hope people will take advantage of these opportunities as well as show our islands laboratory staff some support.”
HSA’s pathology laboratories at the Cayman Islands Hospital and Faith Hospital in Cayman Brac are JCI accredited.
To register for the Lab Week 5K Fun Walk/Run call 926-0844 or 939-8847, or go to the CaymanActive website
Category: Local News, Medical and Health
