Medical Biology
The Montreal Heart Institute operates a
medical biology laboratory equipped with leading-edge
technology. Each section of this laboratory is subject to a
rigorous internal quality control program and also takes part
in numerous external quality control programs, including
programs organized by the Quebec Public Health Laboratory as
well as the College of American Pathologists and the Centre for
Disease Control in the United States for lipid
measurement.
The department team
The
medical biology department includes medical specialists in the
fields of hematology, pathology, microbiology and clinical
biochemistry. Joining this group are an administrative department
head, five technical assistants, a quality coordinator, some 50
medical technologists as well as support staff.
Services
The
Montreal Heart Institute's medical biology department conducts
tests in hematology, biochemistry, microbiology, immunohematology
and pathology; out-patients are given access to this department.
(Lien vers « Patients et visiteurs/Informations
pratiques/Centre de prélèvements
»)
Most of the routine tests are processed in the medical
biology department. However, the bulk of the work is focused on
analyzing risk factors for heart disease and measuring its various
indicators. The medical biology department also features service
corridors linking it to other laboratories for purposes of
conducting more infrequent tests or tests outside of its fields of
expertise.
Its
laboratories are computerized, with full deployment to all care
units. This makes it possible to reduce the delay between writing
the prescription and returning the results to the care unit.
Teaching and research
Teaching
and research are key components of the Montreal Heart Institute's
mission. The medical biology department regularly welcomes interns
from colleges and universities.
In
terms of research, the medical biology department takes part in
establishing various hematological and biochemical assay
parameters, preparing specimens, staining tissues and identifying
bacteria required for clinical or fundamental research projects
underway at our Research Centre.
