Residents of Vitebsk now have the opportunity to undergo the most accurate and comprehensive blood analysis using the latest equipment at Polyclinic No. 1

Today, city polyclinics, with their re-equipment, have the capability to conduct the most modern research.

A clinical diagnostic laboratory in any healthcare facility is only called a support service. In reality, it is the most crucial link in the treatment process; doctors cannot do without its research. And if it is equipped with the latest modern technology, as has been done recently at City Polyclinic No. 1 at Tereshkova Street, 30, then the importance of this unit is truly hard to overestimate.

Together with the head of the laboratory, Zhanna Maskina, we are heading into the inner sanctum of laboratory diagnostics. Zhanna Anatolyevna, with her expertise and the enthusiasm characteristic of people fanatically devoted to their profession, talks about the latest equipment that has transformed routine processes into high-tech operations.

— Since September of this year, we have been using a biochemical analyzer of Spanish production, which incorporates innovative optics based on durable light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Everything here is done and washed automatically. The analyzer can simultaneously process up to 135 blood samples, and the reagents, by the way, are original and dispensed very economically. In an hour, this intelligent machine, whose work is only monitored by humans and not interfered with once the process is initiated by the program (a guarantee of data accuracy!), processes 400 tests. This capacity has made it possible to perform research for city polyclinics. Currently, at the initial stage, biomaterial is mainly tested for 25 basic biochemical indicators, including diagnostics for anemia, osteoporosis, determination of blood lipid profile, and more. Life will further indicate which innovations will be in demand by a wide range of patients.

This is far from all. The immunoassay analyzer of OJSC "Vityaz" easily breaks down a patient's hormonal status, including the PSA oncomarker, to prevent serious diseases of the male reproductive system. The glycated hemoglobin analyzer is indispensable in the diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes mellitus, and a Japanese-made hematology analyzer provides general blood test indicators in just one minute. Only the determination of ESR extends the final result to one hour.

To the capabilities of high-tech equipment, operated by trained personnel, one must add the convenient organization of the process. Anyone can contact the laboratory by phone 55-59-55 and order the necessary list of tests for an acceptable fee, according to state prices, and undergo them on the same day after lunch. If the patient does not have a doctor's referral and has not clearly determined the scope of tests themselves, a laboratory diagnostics doctor will consult them free of charge on the types of tests and then on the results obtained. The turnaround time for orders ranges from 1 hour (hematology and biochemistry) to 3-5 days (hormone tests). Thus, the polyclinic's equipment is fully capable of competing with private medical laboratories, where sometimes only biological material is collected. In terms of pricing, its advantage is obvious.

Here, they are also developing programs for comprehensive patient examinations. Packages such as "Woman 40+", "Man 40+", "Overweight", "Mother-to-be", and others are already ready. This approach allows for a quick and reliable assessment of health status.

Investing money in the latest diagnostic and treatment technologies yields results. According to Stanislav Tityvich, chief physician of the central city polyclinic, in the first 9 months of this year alone, almost 4.8 billion rubles from the republican and local budgets, in approximately equal shares, were spent on purchasing equipment for Vitebsk healthcare institutions. 138 million were directed to these purposes from paid services. And the work continues.

Vera Murashkina. Photo by Oleg Klimovich. "Vitbichi".