Week for Recognition

  • Published
  • By Frank McIntyre
  • 71st Flying Training Wing public affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The Vance Clinic laboratory professionals perform most of their work out of the public eye. Unfortunately with the renovations underway at the clinic, this year's National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week, that ends Saturday, went pretty much unnoticed on base as well.

"Normally we'd use this week to host an open house and do other activities to inform and educate the public about the medical laboratory," said 1st Lt. Kasey Jackson, 71st Medical Support Squadron chief of lab services. "But we're a little too cramped in our temporary location to host many visitors."

National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week is a time of recognition for the medical laboratory professionals who play a vital role in every aspect of health care and provides a chance for them to celebrate their professionalism.

Last year, after 30 years of being called National Medical Laboratory Week, the name of the observance was changed to reflect the fact that a laboratory is more "people" than a "place," according to the American Society for Clinical Pathology Web site.

At Vance those people, in addition to Lieutenant Jackson, include Tech Sgt. Traci Stewart, the lab's noncommissioned officer in charge, and technicians Senior Airmen Mandy Lambert and Christopher Nestor.

Last year, the Vance lab conducted 36,000 lab tests, either processing the results here or, if not equipped for specialized processing here, preparing them for processing at reference labs such as Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, Texas.

"We send our specimens to many different locations, depending on the test required," Sergeant Stewart said. "Some of the specimens go to Quest Diagnostics in Dallas, some go to Epidemiology Laboratory at Brooks AFB, Texas and a few are sent to Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio." stated TSgt Stewart.

The laboratory is accredited by the College of American Pathologists. After the agency began a no-notice inspection process last year, and in August the 71st MDSS laboratory had their first no-notice inspection.

"Although it was our first no notice inspection it went very well," Sergeant Stewart said. "There were no deficiencies noted and the inspectors were very impressed with our laboratory team and processes."

Next year when the lab once again observes National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week they'll be in a roomy new home, but there will be a few changes. All four of the military technician slots are projected to convert into civilian positions by fiscal year 2008.

"We are currently advertising for two lab tech positions but have also been approved to hire our two positions that are converting in 2008. Hopefully we'll have enough interest with this advertisement so we can hire all four civilian positions soon" Lieutenant Jackson said. She would like to complete the transformation before her reassignment to Ellsworth AFB, S.D. in July. 

Once the civilians are onboard and trained, the remaining military technicians can be reassigned and by next year's observance honoring them, there could be a completely new laboratory team at Vance.