Thanks to donors, GGH’s Blood Lab has improved diagnostic tools

Sometimes, our physicians need to assess how well a patient’s blood will clot to understand the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. This is called coagulation testing. It is also used to diagnose and monitor the treatment of bleeding and clotting disorders.

Recently, donations made to the Hospital’s $34 million Together, We Care campaign funded two new coagulation analyzers. The analyzers, along with software upgrades and set up fees, cost $100,000.

The new analyzers replace machines that were at end of life. They are the same system, but as with all new technology, there are upgrades.

One upgrade is that the new analyzers perform pre-analytical checks on all samples. These checks indicate whether or not there are substances in the sample that could interfere with a test result. With the old analyzers, technologists had to visually assess the sample to look for interfering substances – having the analyzer measure these ensures the most accurate results.

Tammy Thomson, Hematology Charge Technologist at Guelph General Hospital, remarked how fortunate she and her team feel to have these new analyzers. “To provide the best possible patient care, we need the best possible tools and technology. We’re thankful for everyone who has donated to the Together, We Care campaign” she said.