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Stevenson Memorial Hospital celebrates Medical Laboratory Week

May 1, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

Stevenson Memorial Hospital (SMH) celebrated National Medical Laboratory Week which was recognized from April 20 to 26, across the country.

A team of 31 medical lab technologists and medical lab assistants work behind the scenes at SMH to complete testing that supports the diagnosis of illnesses in patients and critical patient treatment plans.

Medical Laboratory Professionals Association of Ontario CEO Michelle Hoad visited SMH’s laboratory for a tour. She engaged with staff and provided resources and insights on the growing laboratory profession.

Stephanie MacLellan, deputy mayor of the Town of New Tecumseth, was also in attendance.

“We are pleased to recognize our team of laboratory professionals at Stevenson who work around the clock to provide critical services, often lifesaving,” said Susan Woollard, Interim vice president of Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Executive at SMH. “The tests that they provide are an important component to patient care and we are grateful for their contributions to our hospital.”

Every year, over 280+ million lab tests are processed in Ontario by dedicated medical laboratory technologists and medical laboratory assistants/technicians. Lab professionals are involved in every aspect of healthcare throughout every stage of life.

“The MLPAO’s theme this year is ‘Testing Through Every Stage of Life,’ and our goal is to educate the public on the importance of lab professionals, as they test for thousands of diseases and disorders that occur throughout our lives each and every day,” Ms. Hoad said. “It’s a profession that doesn’t always get the spotlight as many work behind closed doors. In reality, the lab is with us on our health care journeys every step of the way.”

Locally at SMH, over 400,000 tests are processed annually. This hard-working and dedicated team provides services 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the hospital in support of patient care.

From newborn screening tests detecting critical conditions in infants to prenatal tests supporting healthy pregnancies, routine checkups in kids and young adults, chronic disease management for middle-aged patients, and complex diagnostics for seniors, laboratory testing is woven into the health journey of every individual. 

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