Those in background

I am a medical laboratory scientist. You probably haven’t heard about us and most certainly don’t see us, but we are essential to health care, especially now. We are the “team behind the scenes” performing the laboratory testing that our colleagues depend on to diagnose and treat patients. We collaborate with nurses, physicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, radiologic imaging technicians and many others—all of whom have stepped to the forefront in caring for patients during this pandemic.

But laboratory professionals have a very important role in all of this. When you hear about covid-19 testing centers or drive-through testing sites, what is really happening is the collection of a specimen, often by nurses or physicians. The testing occurs in hospital, reference and public health laboratories and is performed by medical laboratory scientists and technicians with leadership and support from pathologists and other professionals. Testing personnel have college and technical school degrees and professional certification to document many years of formal education they received.

We are always there, working in the background, to perform testing to identify the bacteria causing an infection, crossmatching blood for transfusion, performing chemistry and hematology testing, detecting cancer, determining the best antibiotic for infections, and much, much more. Laboratory professionals use interpretive skills, specialized scientific knowledge, troubleshooting skills, technical expertise, and professional judgment every day to provide accurate, trustworthy results for each specimen they receive. We are proud to serve the scientific needs of our patients, to be an integral part of the health-care team, and to provide the information that informs the decisions and practice of our colleagues.

When you thank those working tirelessly during this pandemic, don’t forget those behind the scenes—the many laboratory professionals working for you!

LINDSEY CLARK Little Rock