The Department of Laboratory Medicine provides laboratory testing for all Clinical Center inpatients and clinic outpatients. This translates to more than 1 million test results per year. A hospital-wide information system is used for ordering and reporting laboratory tests. There is also a stand-alone laboratory information system (LIS) that interfaces with the hospital information system. Because many of the instruments in the department are interfaced, test results are available to the nursing units as soon as they are certified. Reports are printed on the nursing units and clinics for tests that are ordered in the hospital information system as STAT or Priority. All other reports are printed as cumulative reports every six months.
Mission
The Department of Laboratory Medicine serves as the clinical laboratory of the NIH Clinical Center. The Department provides laboratory support for patient care and research protocols and performs research and training in disciplines of Clinical Pathology.
Vision
The Department of Laboratory Medicine provides state-of-the-art laboratory testing in support of Clinical Center patient care and will serve as a center of excellence in research and training in laboratory medicine, particularly in areas which utilize the unique strengths of the National Institutes of Health.
Goals
We are committed to the following goals:
- Respectful, compassionate, and high quality patient care
- High standards of clinical laboratory practice and efficiency
- Optimal support of clinical research protocols
- Excellence in applied and medical research
- Professional and career growth of staff and trainees
- Excellence in training in the disciplines of laboratory medicine
- A workplace characterized by mutual respect, teamwork, and open communication
- Good stewardship of our environment
Objectives within each goal
- Respectful, compassionate, and high quality patient care
- Training in improved customer service
- Monitoring of environment of patient care areas
- Monitor patient waiting time and satisfaction
- High standards of clinical laboratory practice and efficiency
- Development and refinement of effective performance measurement systems
- Insuring the highest level of patient safety
- Quality assurance for total testing process
- Staying at the leading edge of technology to improve clinical care and lab efficiency
- Providing consultative services for patient care
- Optimal support of clinical research protocols
- Interface with principle investigators regarding protocols relying extensively on laboratory testing
- Customization of sample collection, processing, and testing to meet the needs of protocols
- Excellence in applied and basic medical research
- Support of research as a central part of our mission
- Measurement of research performance and linkage of resources to performance
- Development of collaborations with governmental and non-governmental entities
- Identification of areas of research emphasis and opportunity
- Professional growth and career growth of staff and trainees
- Encourage and support continuing education
- Monitor continuing education of staff
- Develop an environment that encourages life-long learning
- Excellence in training in the disciplines of laboratory medicine
- Accreditation of training programs
- Recruitment of high caliber trainees
- Development of information resources
- Mentoring of trainees
- A workplace characterized by mutual respect, teamwork, and open communication
- Maintains forums and channels for communication and discussion among staff
- Encourage respect for diversity by training and example
- Good stewardship of our environment
- Minimize waste generation, use of hazardous materials and radionuclides
- Encourage recycling efforts