Photo of Mount Sinai’s Medical Laboratory

It’s National Medical Laboratory Week – a time to celebrate those responsible for performing tests to help diagnose, treat and prevent diseases for our patients. This year, it’s also an opportunity to recognize these professionals for their resilience as they transition to their new space without disrupting patient care.

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine – where our patients’ blood, tissue, amniotic fluids and other samples are sent for testing – recently began the complex process of relocating from Mount Sinai’s sixth floor to the 11th floor. During this four-month move, approximately 200 laboratory technologists have to maintain operations to deliver nearly 10,000 tests per day as over 100 complex pieces of equipment are relocated. Each piece of equipment must be taken apart, relocated, re-assembled, re-calibrated and tested before it is operational again.

“I cannot think of a better time to acknowledge our outstanding laboratory team,” says Norma Layno, Administrative Director of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. “I would like to thank this entire team for their work every day and especially during our relocation process. I would also like to acknowledge Maria Mendes, Cecilia Moller and Sharon Crafter who are members of our management team and have been preparing us for the move for over three years.”

“In celebration of this important week, the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science is using the words brave, caring, skilled, precise, strong, supportive, innovative, compassionate and collaborative to describe laboratory professionals, and I could not agree more,” furthers Dr. Rita Kandel, Chief of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. “The team is working tirelessly to ensure our patients continue receiving the high quality care they deserve.”

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine staff, give yourselves a pat on the back