Bartlett Regional | House Calls | Winter 2019

Reaccreditation affirms lab’s quality work The accreditation committee of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) recently renewed the Bartlett Regional Hospital laboratory’s accreditation, based on results of an on-site inspection. Bartlett’s laboratory is one of more than 8,000 CAP-accredited facilities worldwide. “CAP accreditation is certainly an honor,” says the facility’s Medical Director, Burton L. Vanderbilt, MD. “This is especially gratifying to me, as I have seen the Bartlett laboratory greatly improve in the past five years. “John Fortin is a terrific, dedicated laboratory manager. He has assembled a laboratory team of professionals that show increasing pride in their work. Our section supervisors are now going beyond just responding to baseline requirements. They are starting to innovate new systems that take us to a higher level of service to the patients and physicians of Bartlett.” John has worked in the lab for 21 years and as manager for 10 years. “This is a great accomplishment for John, Dr. Jim Thompson and Dr. Vanderbilt, and their team,” says Chuck Bill, Bartlett’s CEO. “There was never any doubt in my mind that this would be the survey outcome. We have a great staff and great leaders at the lab.” —Continued on page 8 Clinical Lab Scientist Kelsey Hagan under the hood of the analyzer. Kelsey Hagan, Clinical Lab Scientist, readies a specimen for the analyzer. Linda Johnson, Clinical Lab Scientist, studies a urine sample. In one corner, Kelsey runs blood samples through a high-tech machine; in another, a colleague is hunched over a microscope, diagnosing various body fluids; another couple of rooms comprise the histology department. Analysis In the main area, Kelsey prepares samples to place in a machine resembling an industrial printer. Lab staff call it the analyzer. Kelsey opens the hatch to a jumble of wheels, wires and arms for holding blood samples. Samples are processed through a mechanical technology that acts like a surrogate patient. The end result is what looks like a detailed receipt with the patient’s test results. Amore old-school type of analysis is happening on the other side of the lab. Linda Johnson, Clinical Laboratory Scientist, is bent over a microscope, zooming in on a urine sample. Through her viewfinder are multi-hued crystals. In a photo, the crystals look more like they could be purchased for spiritual healing or to make jewelry. “Some of them are pathological, some of them are normal,” Linda observes. “Calcium crystals can just keep growing and growing, and pretty soon you’ve got a kidney stone.” Linda’s next sample for review could be another body fluid, such as blood, saliva or semen. She may find anemia, strep throat or a low sperm count. www.bartletthospital.org 7