HSA) Laboratory professionals at the Health Services Authority (HSA), as part of initiatives to continuously enhance knowledge, skills, clinical quality and patient diagnosis, are collaborating with their professional colleagues from across the Caribbean and the United States to host the Caribbean Association of Medical Technologists (CASMET’s) Bi-annual Regional Council Meeting and celebrate Medical Laboratory Professionals (MLP) Week.

MLP Week is celebrated internationally on 22 -28 April, however, the Cayman Islands is prolonging the celebrations with an emphasis on the week of 29 April — 5 May to coincide with CASMET’s Regional Council Meeting hosted by the Cayman Islands Branch. This is the second time this meeting has been held in the Cayman Islands.

MLP Week, otherwise known as Lab Week, recognizes medical laboratory professionals and pathologists who play a vital role in healthcare and patient advocacy.

“It seeks to bring the entire family of medical laboratory professionals, associates, and stakeholders together, to inform, update and share the latest techniques, skills and equipment for improving diagnostic and therapeutic laboratory testing. It is a time for acknowledging the professionals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to provide quality patient care,” said HSA Medical Technologist Marcia Robinson-Walters, who is also Vice President of the Regional Council of CASMET and Chairperson of the Cayman Islands Branch.

The Regional Council Meeting will bring together delegates representing medical laboratory professionals from across the entire Caribbean region and the United States who will meet to discuss and plan activities to improve the profession in the region, share information that will aid in the improvement of diagnostic and therapeutic laboratory testing.

“This professional collaboration of CASMET members will have a positive impact on overall patient care across the region,” Mrs. Robinson-Walters noted.

Lab Week is supported by the HSA, Ministry of Health and medical laboratory professionals from all laboratories in the Cayman Islands including MedLab, Health City Cayman Islands, Trincay, Phoenix, Cayman Health and CTMH. As a major sponsor, the HSA is playing an integral role by providing venues for the various presentations, multiple speakers and sponsoring gifts and awards.

Other major sponsors are Quest Laboratories, Ryvex, Health City Cayman Islands, Cost U Less, B Berry’s to Go, Lasco, Le Bleu and the Department of Tourism.