The way it stands now, a patient is tested by hospital lab technicians and learns it could take up to a week before results are available. That is about to change.
Central Kansas Medical Center is installing two new chemistry analyzers in its lab that will cut the waiting time for many test results down to 24 hours.
"We understand the stress of waiting for test results," CKMC Lab Director Carla Herl said. "Our new analyzers will help alleviate some of this apprehension for patients and their families."
The Beckman Coulter DxC 600I will allow CKMC to perform testing that has never been available here before. Technicians and technologists are now being trained and the services will be available after the first of the year.
"We will offer more advanced testing for cancer antigens," Herl noted. "This will help physicians screen earlier for most cancers. And the turnaround time for getting the results will be much quicker."
The lab also will begin offering OSTASE, which is a blood test that can be used as an aid in the management of osteoporosis, Herl explained.
"A physician may recommend an OSTASE test for a particular patient," Herl said. "This test will screen for bone-density problems and help the physician determine if an actual bone-density test is appropriate.
"In addition," Herl commented, "the OSTASE test can be used to check on the progress of various osteoporosis treatments. It can help a doctor evaluate how well a patient is responding to a certain treatment, and in some cases help identify alternative therapies."
The DxC 600I is the primary new instrument in CKMC’s lab; the other is called the DxC Pro, which will serve as a backup.
"It is comforting to offer our patients the peace of mind of a back-up system so they can be assured they will have their test results as soon as possible," Herl said.
This new equipment is just the first of eight new additions to the CKMC lab within the next year.
"Every department in our lab will benefit from the installation of new equipment from now through 2011," Herl said. "This is just another example of CKMC’s foresight. We want to offer the newest technology available for the care and treatment of our patients."
CKMC’s lab is one of only 45 in Kansas that is accredited by the College of American Pathologists; there are about 2,200 health labs in the state. CAP is the gold standard because of its stringent requirements and rigorous accreditation process, Herl said.
