 Laboratory
Who we are
The Hamilton Hospital Laboratory is staffed by 7 full-time
employees with a total of over 150 years experience in the
Medical Laboratory. Each employee in the Lab is accredited
by a national accrediting agency and has passed a national
board (exam) to ensure competency. Each employee also takes
several courses each year to ensure that they remain up
to
date with the latest medical knowledge pertaining to the
Lab. As a group the Laboratory is examined by JCAHO (Joint
Commission
on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) every two years
to ensure that the methods, records and personnel are of
the
highest quality.
The Lab is open 24-hours a day.
What we do
The main responsibility of the Hamilton Hospital Lab is to
perform those tests that the physician feels are necessary
to the treatment of inpatients. The Lab also provides outpatient
support for the Physicians Offices in town and the neighboring
communities. The community is also supported by Lab Personnel
going to the care centers in Webster City, Stratford and Fort
Dodge to collect samples to help maintain the health of our
seniors.
Hamilton Hospital Laboratory also performs Wellness Screenings
for several businesses in the county. Wellness Screenings
are a group of lab tests that will give the person and their
physician a general view of the person's health. Also provided
are Blood Pressure, Pulse, prostate testing and flu shots
(in season). The Lab provides these services at a greatly
reduced cost which may, or may not, be paid by the employer.
More information on this program may be obtained by calling
515-832-7719.
As a service to the community in general, the Lab also collects
DOT drug screens and DOT saliva alcohol tests.
Any testing not provided in house is collected and sent to
Mayo Medical Laboratories (affiliated with Mayo Clinics) on
a daily basis.
 Our
equipment
The Laboratory is equipped with the finest equipment available
for a Laboratory this size. The Lab is connected to the main
hospital computer via LabFusion, a state-of-the-art Laboratory
information system (LIS). The main hematology analyzer is
a Coulter HMX. This is an automated cell counter that also
performs a 5-part differential on a whole blood sample. The
HMX was purchased in August 2000.
The main chemistry analyzer is a Dade Behring RXL purchased
in May 2000. This is a fully automated analyzer. Other chemistry
analyzers include the DCA 2000 (Glycosolated Hemoglobin) and
the Stratus CS (Cardiac Enzymes).
Coagulation studies are done on the MLA 900, which is the
standard by which all other coagulation analyzers are compared.
The microbiology department is anchored by a Vitek JR, which
is an automated card reader that determines organism ID and
sensitivities.
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