As you may have heard - in May, Sault Area Hospital was approved to process COVID-19 testing here in our community. This allowed our Lab team to work with Algoma Public Health to provide quicker results, and keep our community safe and informed.
What you may not realize: donations helped purchase the equipment we now use for COVID testing.
The GeneXpert was first purchased back in 2017 to assist with infectious disease diagnosis. It was just part of our regular equipment planning - little did we know how critical it would become this year. Donations to our Area of Greatest Need from many donors throughout our community made this purchase possible. The unit cost just over $75,000, and we wouldn't have it without the generosity of our community.
Stories like this are why it is important to always support our hospital. Our equipment purchases reflect not only current needs, but opportunities for future patient care. In this case, if we hadn’t been able to purchase the GeneXpert, we would have had slower access to results during a time of great need.
Our donors make outstanding care like this possible!
We are so proud of the SAH Lab team, but also of our community, for their support. Local testing means quicker results. You make outstanding care possible, close to home.
The benefits of any new in-house testing include quicker turnaround times, with most results being available within 24 hours (or less). In-house testing also supports Infection Prevention and Control efforts, personal protective equipment conservation and patient care excellence.
Thank you to our incredible lab professionals at SAH for their dedication and for embracing COVID-19 testing in support of our patients during this unprecedented time.
