In a recent blog article we discussed how very few people actually “like” visiting the doctor’s office.
Not only do you have to get there early and usually wait beyond your scheduled appointment, there’s always an abundance of germs and paperwork too.
Despite how little people enjoy seeing a doctor, there is, perhaps, one other medical professional people ‘like’ seeing even less.
It’s the Medical Lab Professional.
You know, the health professionals who poke you with needles to draw blood.
All joking aside, medical lab professionals are truly some of the unsung heroes of the medical community.
Sure, they may poke you with a needle to draw blood but that’s a very small portion of their job. According to the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS), medical laboratorians “are vital healthcare detectives, uncovering and providing information from laboratory analyses that assist physicians in patient diagnosis and treatment, as well as in disease monitoring or prevention.”
So, while the doctor is the face of the medical community, medical lab professionals are tirelessly working in the background to help keep you healthy and thriving.
Considering this, in 1975 the ASCLS founded National Medical Lab Professional Week in an effort to raise awareness and honor the work Medical Lab Professionals do.
Their work is not only challenging, it typically requires them to spend most of the day on their feet. Here at SATECH, Inc. we are no strangers to the plight of the medical lab profession.
We have a deep gratitude for the work they do on a daily basis, and have also partnered with hundreds of medical labs around the globe to fight medical lab professional pain and fatigue through implementing SmartCells anti-fatigue cushioning solutions.
Our solutions have been utilized in medical labs ranging from Kaiser Permanente in the private sector to Department of Defense labs and everything in between.
In fact, Kaiser Permanente has been a loyal SATECH client since 2005, and have standardized the use of SmartCells anti-fatigue solutions in their pharmacies and blood draw areas.
Keep reading below to learn about one of our more notable Kaiser Permanente projects.
In July of 2015 the representatives from Kaiser Permanente Cascade Park located in Vancouver, WA reached out to SATECH because their phlebotomists were experiencing pain and discomfort from standing all day.
After reviewing their lab layout and needs, we recommended the standard 1” grey SmartCells poly fleck platform flooring solution that has had proven success in the past. This particular area called for the 3.5” wide grey transition ramp to be used at the base of the chairs as well as the 12” wide transition where the walk off areas were much longer.
That part was simple. What came next presented more of a challenge.
You see, Kaiser blood draw areas require a unique custom flooring solution to ensure the medical lab professional’s daily tasks are not hindered.
No stranger to custom flooring challenges, SATECH installers determined the SmartCells pads needed to be cut and configured in a ‘half-moon’ around the base of the blood draw chairs so the phlebotomists can roll their trays up to the patients without having to roll on or off of SmartCells. Then once the flooring was installed, they applied a total seam seal over the entire floor to prevent fluids from getting under it and hampering infection control processes.
The installation was completed in one day and it turned out great!
Are you interested in a SmartCells Anti-Fatigue Flooring Solution for your medical lab? Click the button below to request a product sample.
SmartCells: Solutions to Life’s Painful Problems.