Medical Laboratory Professionals Week

In honor of Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, we asked SIMEDHealth Laboratory Director, Marie Collins, about her role, new lab developments, hiring insights, and advice for individuals interested in joining the field.

1. What is a typical day like for you as the Lab Manager?

A typical day includes overseeing all lab operations, including ensuring the safety of our patients and lab personnel, quality and compliance control, managing equipment, and supplies, as well as coordinating with staff, management, and leadership teams.

2. What qualities do you look for when building your laboratory professionals team?

Outside of the required education, licensure, I look for candidates with a balance of skills, attitude, and personality that will positively contribute to the team. 

3. How does the lab team’s work directly impact patient care?

The lab team provides crucial data regarding the patients' health to our physicians which directly aids in diagnoses, treatment plans, and continued monitoring of the patients' health. From collection of patients’ lab specimen, through processing, testing and ultimate timely delivery of accurate results, the physicians have important information allowing for informed decisions about patients’ health.

4. What is an exciting development or project occurring in SIMEDHealth’s Lab?

Some of the exciting developments and/or projects we are currently working on are, the addition of two more urine drug tests to our current urine drug screen panels (UDS). SIMEDHealth laboratory now provides a 10-panel urine drug screen instead of an 8 panel, with the new additions of Buprenorphine, and Fentanyl.

We are also working on bringing new instrumentation into the laboratory that will allow us to run full respiratory, and gastrointestinal panels.

We are looking forward to finding the right candidate to fill our new full-time laboratory technologist opening.

5. What advice would you give to individuals interested in joining this field?

I advise them to learn to develop strong analytical, and attention to detail skills. Developing interpersonal skills will help them with good communication and team-work, while also being able to work independently. Find as much hands-on experience as possible, in diverse lab settings. And, embrace continuous learning, as the laboratories constantly evolve and change.