Laboratory

Medical Director: Robert Bowen, MD

The Clinical Laboratory at CHI Health Nebraska Heart provides comprehensive testing for patients as well as serving as a resource for off-site clinical, research, and corporate Outreach clients. The CHI Health Nebraska Heart Laboratory is unique to the industry in its team approach to management. Each of the fourteen individuals that cover 24 hours a day contribute to a dynamic exchange of ideas, expertise, and abilities that make the laboratory a high-energy, fast-paced, and integral component of patient care. The laboratory focus is to create efficiencies which provide the best ‘real-time’ diagnostic tools for our clinicians.

In addition to in-house testing, availability of any laboratory test ordered is possible because of a professional relationship with reference laboratories throughout the United States such as Physician’s Laboratory. The American Red Cross and other local suppliers are in partnership with the laboratory for blood products on-site so delays in emergency situations are minimized.

Another focus for rapid laboratory testing is the integration of laboratory instrumentation electronically to the patient charts and to our outreach clients. Results populate the electronic charts within two minutes of completion. An extensive ‘Point-of-Care’ testing capability has been implemented throughout the hospital. Hand-held laboratory instruments are taken to the patient bed and results of testing are electronically downloaded to the patient chart. The ‘Point-of Care’ users are nurses, physicians, perfusionists, PCPs, and technicians who are extensions of the laboratory team. This allows close monitoring of critical parameters with information available immediately to the attending clinicians for rapid treatment.

The CHI Health Nebraska Heart Laboratory is a dynamic team that delivers the data for the diagnosis!