Laboratory

Your Laboratory...Finding Causes...Finding Cures!

Horn Memorial Hospital Laboratory is a CLIA certified laboratory, accredited by the State of Iowa. It is estimated that 10 billion laboratory tests are performed in the United States each year. Our laboratory accounts for approximately 125,000 of these tests. Laboratory test results are among the most important and helpful tools used in medicine today. In fact, 60-80% of health care decisions affecting diagnosis and treatment of disease are determined on laboratory results.

Therefore, the foremost goal of Horn Memorial's laboratory is to provide accurate and reliable test results to our health care providers for the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Another important goal of our laboratory is to promote community wellness.

How do we provide accurate and reliable laboratory results?

Current Technology:
Horn Memorial recognizes the importance of current technology for effective treatment of our patients and instrumentation utilized within our laboratory is state of the art. In 2012 our laboratory installed two new chemistry analyzers enabling us to provide the most current testing methods on the market today. Each instrument, before use, is tested to be sure it performs to manufacturers specifications.

Quality Control:
The basis of reliable test results lies within the practice of adherence to statistical rules and values. Every testing method performed within our laboratory under goes thorough correlation and precision testing to assure our test methods perform to stated specification before patient results are ever reported. In addition, each day of patient testing every test is checked for accuracy by running specimens with known values. Patient results are not reported unless these known values are within an acceptable statistical range. Our laboratory also participates in a proficiency-testing program in which five unknown samples are sent to us three times throughout the year. Each sample is tested for every assay we perform and the results are returned and graded for accuracy. These grades are reported to our accrediting agency and must be acceptable to maintain our CLIA certification.

Competent Staff:
Our laboratory staff is available 24/7 every day of the year, ready to provide our patients quality service. Each of our staff is board certified and has completed the educational requirements mandated by federal regulations to enable them to perform highly complex testing to diagnosis disease. Horn Memorial's laboratory staff consists of five technologists and two phlebotomists. Together our staff has over 80 years of laboratory experience and work to increase their knowledge through continuing education.

Inspections:
Our laboratory undergoes a strict inspection every two years. These inspections assure that our laboratory is performing all testing according to federal and state regulations. During the inspection process each aspect of the testing process is reviewed. Some of these areas include quality assurance and control data, staff training and competency records, proficiency survey scores, and procedures.

How do we promote community wellness?

Wellness Blood Screens
Screening tests provide a means of early detection of disease before signs and symptoms become apparent. As our health care has evolved the public has begun to take more of an active role in their health care. Our laboratory helps make this happen by providing community wellness screens to the public, area businesses, and schools.
MONTHLY Wellness Blood Screens are held at the hospital by appointment the FIRST TUESDAY of each month by calling 712.364.7255.

For Wellness Screening Information please CLICK HERE

LABORATORY SERVICES

Provide diagnostic testing for Horn Memorial Hospital inpatients and emergency patients 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

Provide diagnostic testing for non-emergent outpatients and physicians' clinics Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 4:30 pm.

LABORATORY MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION

Pathologist:
Dr. Thomas Carroll, M.D. PhD.

Director:
Laurie Thompson, MLT (ASCP)