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HMH celebrates National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week April 25, 2008 - No reporter cited

Jim Pinson
Editor

NASHVILLE - Seventy-one year-old laboratory technician Betty Smith continues to help provide quality care for patients of Howard Memorial Hospital.

HMH honored Smith for 50 years of service in the field of Medical Technology during National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week.

Smith was the third medical technician that was hired at HMH. She replaced Clarence Dyer, who started the lab at HMH. Smith worked with F.I. Cox.

“Cox and I took turns taking calls,” Smith said, “We worked a week at a time.”

Smith remembers that all lab work was done manually when she entered the medical technician field. She always enjoyed anatomy, but had never heard of a medical technician before she started studying to be one.

Smith stated, “We made house calls.” Today, home health has taken the place of lab techs by going into the homes of patients and drawing blood or collecting other samples.

“We do a lot of testing here,” Smith said. “And our turnaround time is very fast.”

Smith has seen several improvements to the lab at HMH. During every remodel of the lab, the hospital upgraded the equipment that the technicians used to improve the care of patients.

In 1960, HMH purchased a piece of equipment from Dupot. Smith said that HMH was the “second hospital in Arkansas” to install this particular equipment.

“Cox and I had to travel to Delaware for training,” Smith said. “He went one week and I went the next.”

According to Smith, HMH has always attempted to be on the cutting edge of technology. Smith said that she was excited to be moving into the new facility.
“We are still working to upgrade and provide the best lab possible,” Smith said.

National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week is celebrated every year during the fourth week of April. This week provides a unique opportunity to increase public understanding of, and appreciation for, clinical laboratory personnel.

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