Lab Professionals Get Results
4/26/2023
Michael Hawks, Director of Laboratory Services with Aspirus Riverview Hospital & Clinics
Your health care provider would
like to run some tests; so you’ve had your blood drawn, and your sample has
been sent to the lab. You met the phlebotomist who drew your blood, but have
you ever wondered who receives the sample and conducts the tests?
In honor of Medical Lab
Professionals Week (April 23-29), Aspirus Health would like to shine the light
on the skilled laboratory professionals who, as a patient, you may never see
but play a vital role in your care.
Medical lab professionals conduct
tests that provide crucial information for detecting, diagnosing, treating, and
monitoring disease. They use specialized instrumentation and techniques to
analyze patient samples, such as blood, urine, body fluids, tissue, and stool.
They work in hospitals, clinics, blood banks, research and reference labs, and
even forensic labs.
“Each year, about 14 billion lab
tests are ordered in the U.S., and 70 percent of medical decisions depend on
those test results,” said Michael Hawks, Director of Laboratory Services with
Aspirus Riverview Hospital & Clinics.
The need for lab professionals is
rising due to population growth and aging, increased coverage of screening
tests, and the development of new tests. It’s estimated that demand for lab
professionals will increase by 24% by the year 2025.
“The U.S. is already experiencing
a shortage of lab professionals,” said Hawks. “This provides an outstanding
opportunity for those who enjoy math, science, chemistry, biology, and helping
others. Common traits of a lab professional include problem solving, an
interest in technology, reliability, integrity, and attention to detail.”
Because the results they produce
impact medical decisions, lab professionals are specially educated and trained.
They possess a wide range of education levels including certificates, two-year
associate degrees, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and doctorate and medical
degrees.
“Please join Aspirus Health in
thanking the medical lab professionals who work every day and every night to
provide reliable, timely results so our health care providers can accurately
diagnose and care for us all,” said Hawks.
To learn more about laboratory careers
and other medical and non-medical opportunities with Aspirus Health, visit careers.aspirus.org.
Back to all Posts