Core Lab
The new Core Lab in the Sheikh Zayed Building is huge and open, yet there is a feeling of closeness with coworkers because of the convenience of having many work areas near each other. One can see the whole process from beginning to end. This gives the Core Lab staff and leadership opportunity to change, improve, and implement processes for quality laboratory reporting. Additional space can accommodate continuing increases in laboratory work volumes. No matter how busy it gets, the effective acoustic materials on floor and ceiling make for a quiet lab. Coupled with appropriate illumination and green color scheme, the lab is a calming work environment.
Additionally, the Critical Care Lab is now located on the 5th floor of Zayed in close proximity to the operating rooms.
Although change can be difficult and training on new instrumentation challenging, the newness and good safe design of the Core Lab and offices inspire excitement.
The new suite of offices and other offices encircle the lab allowing close personalized communication between staff and leadership. New restrooms, a new break room, and new conference rooms are amenities our faculty, staff, students, and visitors enjoy. In particular, everyone has enjoyed the conference room that opens to the break room. This new double room allows space to eat and mingle during large events. When it is time for education, the conference room is closed off from the break room and presenters use up-to-date audiovisual equipment for their sessions. In addition to the conference room, there is a library and a lead technologists’ conference room, making it easier to schedule a meeting/conference room and prepare the room for events on all shifts.
Transfusion Medicine
The new Transfusion Medicine Laboratory is located in the Sheikh Zayed Tower on the third floor. The new lab is in close proximity to all ORs including Weinberg, Cardiovascular, Neurology, Children’s, and Obstetrics. The TM Lab is one large facility that encompasses the testing areas, administrative offices, rooms for educational programs for the staff, SBB and university students, a walk-in refrigerator and a supply room. The reference lab is now in close proximity to the main lab to facilitate better communication amongst all staff members creating efficient and timely completion of antibody work-ups.
The move to the Zayed Tower has allowed for the implementation and use of Hemosafe in the ORs. The Hemosafe is similar to a vending machine for blood products, which allows for quick and easy remote allocation on demand for patients. The Hemosafe has been a positive addition to help reduce volume of manual preparation, selection and crossmatch of blood products for patients in the operating rooms.
The new TM Lab has been an exciting change for the staff. The staff now has a new and clean space to work and make their own, and the opportunity to modify workflow in to make the new lab the most efficient work space possible.
Cytopathology
The opening of the Zayed Tower created some logistical challenges for the Division of Cytopathology which partially moved to the new building. Both the pathologist-attended FNA Ultrasound Service, as well as the cytotechnologist-attended Endoscopy Service, are housed in a spacious room adjacent to the Endoscopy Suite on the main level of Zayed.
Although it has been a challenge to transport fine-needle aspirations procured in Zayed to Path 4 and return the processed specimens to Zayed for screening and release, the staff working in the new building very much enjoy their new work space. Assuring accuracy and efficiency of service by coordinating FNAs, cell blocks, core biopsies and their attendant special stains continues to be our top priority.
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Special thanks to Chris Hostetter and Core Lab leadership, Melissa Neally of Transfusion Medicine, Fran Burroughs, Susan Otell and Anna Novak of Cytopathology, and Mike Huppenthal for their contributions to this posting.