The 509th Medical Lab - the behind-the-scenes cure
By Airman 1st Class Keenan Berry, 509th Public Affairs
/ Published February 28, 2013
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WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Master Sgt. Michelle Angeles, 509th Medical Group Non-Commissioning Officer in charge of Microbiology, mixes a blood sample, Feb. 20. This test is use to measure how much separation naturally occurs in an hour. ( U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Keenan Berry) (Released)
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WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Master Sgt. Michelle Angeles, 509th Medical Group Non-Commissioning Officer in charge of Microbiology, pour serum into a tube, Feb. 20. Once the serum is separated from the blood by the centrituge, its poured into a tube and is prepared to be shipped out. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Keenan Berry) (Released)
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WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Staff Sgt. Nathan Knox, 509th Medical Group Medical Laboratory Scientists, looks at cuvettes, Feb. 20. The cuvettes are examined by a chemistry analyzer to determine what the person test value is based off color changes. The test value of a person can range from problems cholesterol, urinary tract infection, diabetes or many others illnesses. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Keenan Berry) (Released)
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WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Earl Angeles, 509th Medical Group Medical Laboratory Scientists, looks at cuvettes, Feb. 20. The cuvettes are examined by a chemistry analyzer to determine what the person test value is based off color changes. The test value of a person can range from problems cholesterol, urinary tract infection, diabetes or many others illnesses. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Airman 1st Class Keenan Berry) (Released)
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WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Staff Sergeant Raul Loyo, 509th Medical Group laboratory technician, checks a bacitracin disk, Feb. 20. These disks are used to verify strap throat. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Keenan Berry) (Released)
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WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Staff Sergeant Raul Loyo, 509th Medical Group Laboratory Technician, streaks a urine plate, Feb. 20. Plate is used to determine if the urine has a urinary tract infection; which is determined if bacteria grows within the urine or not. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Keenan Berry) (Released)
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WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Staff Sergeant Raul Loyo, 509th Medical Group Laboratory Technician, checks expiration dates on the gram stain equipment, Feb. 20. This equipment used to differentiate bacterial species into two large groups, gram-positive and gram-negative.
( U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Keenan Berry) (Released)
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, MO. --
Proper health is essential to the human life. Even in today's modern, medically advanced society, we battle diseases, illnesses and various other ailments.
At Whiteman Air Force Base, the 509th Medical Lab faces these issues on a daily basis, and strives to find cures and promote good health for members of Team Whiteman.
The Medical Lab's role is to provide important medical information to all providers, whether they are working with Personnel Reliability Program (PRP) patients, uniformed members on regular medical status or dependents, said Maj. Neil Helbling, 509th Medical Group flight commander. This data helps providers make accurate diagnoses for patients.
The PRP aspect is perhaps the busiest of the lab's missions, as it includes, among others, all Airmen who work with or around the B-2, such as crew chiefs, Defenders and firefighters, said Staff Sgt. Raul Loyo, 509th Medical Group laboratory technician.
These diagnoses the lab provides must be as accurate as possible, because a patient may suspect a medical problem, but be drawing the wrong conclusion about what is causing it, said Royo.
"The information we provide supports [medical providers'] conclusion[s] or helps them to eliminate what possibilit[ies] they have considered..." said Helbling. "It is helpful information to the doctors."
To verify what the root cause of the issue might be, medical technicians draw blood and collect urine samples.
The greatest hazard for lab technicians is exposure to patients who have contagious diseases, said Helbling. Techs take precautions to minimize exposure by following procedures called "universal precautions;" some of these include wearing lab coats and gloves, using "safety areas" for opening bottles that contain bodily fluid, and many others.
The workload stays consistently heavy for the techs in the lab.
"We do on average around 5,000 tests per month. We might perform 20 or 30 tests on the same person," said Helbling. "Some people come in for a simple PHA appointment; they might have an HIV screen or a lipid panel, which would be your cholesterol check."
"The age ranges from pediatrics for little babies all the way up to geriatrics for the elderly and retired," he said.
The medical lab does not distribute or prescribe medicine; they simply run tests on urine samples, blood, and any other biological element from the human body. These tests are critical, however, in helping doctors diagnosis conditions and prescribe treatment for them.
So, next time you get assistance from your doctor or pick up a prescription at the pharmacy, remember that it was made possible by the dedicated technicians of the 509th Medical Lab.