Advanced technology and state-of-the-art equipment are critical when it comes to providing high level medical care. This is true from surgical procedures all the way to the laboratory. Pikeville Medical Center (PMC) has been known for many years for having an advanced laboratory, but multi-million-dollar investments in recent years have elevated the lab to an entirely new level.

PMC offers the region’s only fully automated line for transporting and processing patient samples throughout the lab. This new line has decreased test result delivery time by as much as 50% and allows PMC to process over 250 tests which were previously sent outside the facility to external labs. By processing these tests in house, the lab can further expedite the delivery of results to providers and patients, reducing the wait time to begin treatment for many patients.

PMC’s automated line also includes a refrigeration module that allows specimens to be stored and recalled, which can eliminate the need to draw blood or collect specimens multiple times for some patients. “Our large refrigerator module can store our specimens for seven days,” said PMC Lab Information Systems Administrator, Donald Keathley. “If a physician places an additional order for testing from a tube in storage, we can immediately recall the tube and send it straight back to the line for testing in just minutes. This process saves a tremendous amount of time, work and inconvenience.”

Other recent advancements include the recent addition of many bacterial and viral analyzers, including a specialized respiratory panel analyzer called the Bio-Fire Torch. This valuable piece of lab equipment gives PMC the ability to test for multiple respiratory conditions efficiently and quickly.

The wide range of state-of-the-art technology and talented staff has given Pikeville Medical Center the ability to process, on average, 1.5 million tests annually. In many instances, the laboratory is relied upon to provide the answers medical providers need to properly treat patients’ conditions and provide a higher level of care.

To learn more about the PMC laboratory, please scan the code provided or visit https://www.pikevillehospital.org/services/laboratory-services/