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LifeLabs local facility good news for patients: Health Sciences Centre

THUNDER BAY -- Sue Paish says the decision to relocate LifeLabs Medical Laboratory Services’ local facility to the Health Sciences Centre is a commitment to their investment in Thunder Bay.
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Medical lab assistant Carrie Repay tests samples Thursday at LifeLabs Medical Laboratory Services news Thunder Bay facility. The company employs 60 people. (Leith Dunick, tbnewswatch.com)

THUNDER BAY -- Sue Paish says the decision to relocate LifeLabs Medical Laboratory Services’ local facility to the Health Sciences Centre is a commitment to their investment in Thunder Bay.

It’s also good news for patients, who won’t have to wait nearly as long for test results, the company president added.

A state-of-the-art facility located on the doorstep of Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, the company and its 60 employees will be able to process test samples taken at three patient services centres in the city as well as a number of collection sites across the region.

In the past most of the samples had to be sent to southern Ontario, often leading to delay in result returns.

“It’s really important to have a lab in the community for a number of reasons,” Paish said. “One is because it provides faster turnaround times, so faster processing for patients. It’s also easy access.

“Patients aren’t travelling miles and miles to get their testing done.”
It also improves the quality of the test results, she added.

“When you transport specimens, especially if there are weather delays, it can deteriorate the quality of the specimen, it can then require retesting or even recall of the patient.”

The company, which operates multiple labs across Ontario and British Columbia, is Canadian owned, indirectly by the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, the province’s public-service pension plan.

LifeLabs first opened up shop in Thunder Bay in 1986, but general manager Mario Audet said at the local level he estimates he and his staff can process about 80 per cent of the tests that are routinely ordered by physicians.

“The specialty tests are still referred down to Toronto,” he said.

Tests for cholesterol, sugar levels, liver and kidney function tests can all be handled in Thunder Bay, he added.

“The routine tests that need somewhat of a quick turnaround time,” Audet said.
The new lab opened its doors in September, and newly re-elected Mayor Keith Hobbs said it’s a good sign for the city’s future.

“We’ve had to diversify our economy because of the downturn in the forestry sector and the grain industry. We’ve really built a first-class, world-class medical facility and industry here in Thunder Bay,” Hobbs said.

“It’s just awesome what we’re doing and this is just another piece of it.”
Hospital officials said the proximity of the lab can only be good for patient outcomes.

“Having LifeLabs next door not only provides and efficient and convenient way of offering lab services on site, it also strengthens the commitment to patient care that Health Sciences Centre shares with LifeLabs,” said Rhonda Crocker-Ellacott, the hospital’s executive vice-president of patient services.



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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