Yuma Regional Medical Center completes expansion of its new laboratory
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Yuma Regional Medical Center (YRMC) gave community leaders an inside look at its newly expanded state-of-the-art laboratory on Thursday.
We share why the hospital says this new facility will help the community.
Not only has the facility doubled in size, but with its new state-of-the-art technology, the lab is able to process twice as many tests as before, ensuring patients receive more timely and more accurate results.
Trudie Milner, Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at YRMC says, "When you come for surgery, or you're having a test, and you want to understand more about what's going on with your health and well-being, it's in this space, with the expertise of these people, that we find answers."
The lab is used for things like testing for infections and cancers, and safely handling infectious organisms.
The hospital says it introduced several new automated robotic systems, which will speed up the testing process and reduce the chance of errors.
Milner says, "In lab today, there is so much opportunity to automate processes, and really create efficiencies and effectiveness, as well as to be able to expand through technology the types of testing that we're doing."
Milner says that it wouldn't be possible without the partnership with the top-rated hospital in the nation, the Mayo Clinic.
She says with their help, the new laboratory now ranks amongst the nation's highest.
"This laboratory, I would put up against any laboratory in the nation. When you think about its space, its people, and the technology that's here, this is a remarkable, remarkable achievement for Yuma and our community," she states.
The project took four years of planning, designing, and building to achieve. YRMC says it will help them meet the growing healthcare needs of Yuma.
"This was really an investment into our future as a healthcare system," says Milner.
The medical director of the laboratory, Doctor Brent Bedke, says the facility is helping keep healthcare close to home.
"This lab expansion has not only allowed us to expand our testing capabilities but also to bring in-house some of our tests that normally we have to send to outside labs which decreases our turn-out time," says Bedke.
And there is one new amenity that sticks out to him in particular.
"My favorite part about the new lab is probably the breakroom. We have a great window there we can overlook the valley of Yuma. It's a great space for our laboratory employees to rest and take a break. I think that's one of the highlights of the new lab space," he adds.
YRMC says with the completion of this new expansion, it expects to see additional employment opportunities and educational partnerships.
