Minister of Health visits medical laboratories at Hamilton General Hospital
We were pleased to welcome Ontario’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones to Hamilton General Hospital during National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week for a tour of the Core Laboratory and the Clinical Chemistry and Immunology Laboratory.
Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) Board Chair Keith Monrose and President & CEO Tracey MacArthur were joined by fellow senior leaders as well as Michelle Hoad, CEO of the Medical Laboratory Professionals’ Association of Ontario, to proudly show Minister Jones the exceptional work of our medical laboratory staff and the vital role they play in the delivery of health care for at HHS sites and across our region.
Fast-paced results to deliver the right patient care
The Core laboratories at HHS operate 24/7 and produce rapid test results – a critical service for urgent care, emergency departments, surgeries, burn units, intensive care units, and more. This fast-paced, high-volume work impacts the decision-making, clinical diagnoses, treatment plans, and emergency responses for teams across HHS. There are four labs across HHS – one each at Hamilton General Hospital, Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre, McMaster University Medical Centre, and West Lincoln Memorial Hospital.
The Clinical Chemical and Immunology laboratories (CCI) provide testing for clinical diagnosis and treatment. The lab is heavily invested in innovation and research and provides regional and national support and expertise. There are two CCIs at HHS – one at HGH and one at MUMC.
Support for the Hamilton region
These laboratories are part of the Hamilton Regional Laboratory Medicine Program, which is jointly operated by HHS and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. Between the two hospitals, there are a total of 31 labs with approximately 625 lab staff and physicians. Last year, the labs conducted 7.7 million tests, supported 182,000 emergency department visits, and supported over 1,600 cardiac surgeries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the labs processed more than 2 million tests.
The future of the profession
HHS Board Chair Keith Monrose, Jones and MacArthur
Minister Jones’ visit to the site coincides with National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (April 14 – 20, 2024) and was a valuable opportunity to demonstrate the excellence of our lab teams and program to the province. Medical laboratory professionals enable health-care providers across the hospital to provide the right care in a timely manner.
The government recently announced funding for 700 additional student education seats and grants for medical laboratory technologists and medical radiation technicians – an effort to address the shortage of these essential roles within Ontario’s health-care system.