PA Governor: Med Lab Professionals Are “Critical Members" of Health Care System
Governor of Pennsylvania recognizes the essential role medical laboratory professionals play in protecting public health
Allentown, PA, April 23, 2021—Teams at HNL Lab Medicine’s Roble Road laboratory took a few moments away from syringes, serum samples, and specimen slides to celebrate Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf’s just-released proclamation recognizing the essential role they and their counterparts across the state play in protecting public health.
Wolf issued the proclamation honoring all people in this field for their work in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic—and every day—to mark Medical Laboratory Professionals Week.
“Exemplified by Pennsylvania’s fight against COVID-19, medical laboratory professionals are undoubtedly critical members of our health care system,” said Wolf. “Medical Professionals Week acknowledges the accomplishments of these individuals and their dedication to ensuring the best patient care by performing and interpreting vital lab results. As we reflect on the contributions of our medical laboratory professionals, take a moment to appreciate their hard work and loyalty to our communities.”
Medical laboratory professionals at companies like HNL perform a range of critical roles in health care, including testing patients in clinics, developing and validating new technologies, and analyzing and interpreting results for the diagnosis and treatment of hundreds of medical conditions.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the reality was that medical testing laboratories and the millions of dedicated professionals involved in testing often were largely underappreciated contributors to public health and well-being, said Matt Sorrentino, president and CEO of HNL.
“Just three cents of every dollar is spent on laboratory testing even though CDC data show that it informs more than 70 percent of all clinical decisions,” said Sorrentino, who was among the founders of HNL more than 20 years ago.
“In ordinary times, when everything is going smoothly, the laboratory is in the background. People just expect to get the results, get them quickly, act upon them. People generally don't think about us. But the pandemic made labs like ours all over the country visible to everybody.”
Sorrentino is confident that the pandemic has spurred greater local and national recognition for the work and the talented and dedicated people in the field, including those at HNL.
“Our people in every part of the business were resourceful, energetic, and in the throes of the crisis, so many of us realized we could do things we didn’t think we could do. People here throttled innovations that transcend the pandemic and make us even better. But most importantly, people understand more than ever how important and how integral they are to the delivery of health care.”
- This press release was provided by HNL