[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10809]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   IN HONOR OF CENTRACARE LABORATORY SERVICES OF ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHELE BACHMANN

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 27, 2009

  Mrs. BACHMANN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor CentraCare 
Laboratory Services in St. Cloud, Minnesota as the second runner up for 
the Medical Laboratory Observer's Medical Laboratory of the Year Award. 
Laboratories across the nation were judged on achievement in nine areas 
with the winners and two runners up, including CentraCare, being 
featured in the Medical Laboratory Observer, a peer-reviewed journal 
resource that has been used by laboratory professionals since 1969.
  Today's medical care relies heavily on laboratory services that 
provide fast and high-quality answers to doctors. CentraCare has 
demonstrated excellence in many ways. They achieved standardization of 
the equipment in all their labs to eliminate confusion by physicians 
ordering tests from different labs. They also implemented new labeling 
guidelines to ensure patient safety and have reduced specimen 
collection errors to practically zero through an automated pneumatic 
collection system. These improvements were also acknowledged by the 
Quality Resources Patient Safety Committee of St. Cloud Hospital.
  When it comes to healthcare and the medical community, CentraCare 
Laboratory Services has been a beacon for quality and patient safety. 
They are a great resource not only for their patients, but for other 
laboratories that can learn from their example.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate all of CentraCare's 
employees for their attention to efficiency and high standards of 
excellence that has resulted in this prestigious accomplishment.

                          ____________________