Learn about transfusion medicine and blood banking. Transfusion medicine is the branch of medicine that is concerned with the process of collecting (donation), testing, processing, storing, and transfusing blood and its components. It is a cornerstone of emergency and surgical medicine. Blood banks are sections of clinical laboratories that process, test, and distribute blood and its components.
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As healthcare consumers have taken on more responsibility for their health, increased attention has been given to the value of preventive medicine. This article discusses how you can take an active role in your healthcare, offering general suggestions as well as more detail on the role of screening tests.
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Learn about point-of-care testing (POCT), which encompasses any laboratory tests that are performed at or near a patient and at the site where care or treatment is provided. Point-of-care test results are typically available relatively quickly so that they can be acted upon without delay.
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Patient Blood Management (PBM) is used by clinicians to optimize a patient’s current medical condition to ensure successful recovery. Its main focus is on preventing anemia and/or blood loss, but it also involves investigating and treating anemia when present.
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Learn about the roles and qualifications of the many skilled professionals who work in clinical laboratories, including technologists, pathologists, and other laboratorians.
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Learn about discussing your testing options with your health care provider to make informed choices to improve your care.
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Find out what happens to your throat swab as you follow the steps of a throat culture in a laboratory.
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Ever wonder what happens to your blood sample once it's been collected? It's sent "to the lab" for analysis, but what does that involve? This article will take you on a behind-the-scenes laboratory tour as a blood sample is processed.
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What seems like a simple medical test to the average adult can be significantly more challenging to an elderly person. This articles offers some suggestions for helping elderly patients through some of the practical matters of collecting a test sample.
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Learn how a caring grownup can help a child cope with pain, discomfort, fear or anxiety as a sample is collected for laboratory testing.
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