LifeLab Diagnostics resets opening of P15M facility

CEBU, Philippines - Inspired to deliver diagnostic services to the public without compromising the comfort of its clientele, a new player in the medical and health care industry in Cebu considers accuracy, convenience and value for life as its top priorities.

LifeLab Diagnostics, Inc. is a fully-automated, secondary laboratory that boasts of its state-of-the-art medical equipment and latest technology in the health care industry. It specializes in providing clinical laboratory tests such as hematology, blood chemistry, histopathology, immunology, serology, microbiology and other body fluid examinations.

It houses a 430-square meter laboratory in the TSI  Bldg along Ouano Avenue at the North Reclamation Area in Mandaue City. LifeLab operates a team of  six full-time employees of which three are registered medical technologists while two are nurses.

The  P15-million facility first opened its doors last September 2 of this year and was supposedly had its grand opening last November 8. Due to the ill-timed super typhoon Yolanda that recently ravaged the country particularly the northern part of Cebu and the Eastern Visayas region, the team decided to reschedule it on November 22.

The idea of having to wait in discomfort in crowded and often “sad” environment when seeking the services of a diagnostic laboratory prompted LifeLab president Christopher Timothy Tan Unjo to come up with such a unique concept.

LifeLab boasts of its café- lounge ambience to ensure comfort and relaxation among customers for the duration of their tests.

“You don’t have to be sick just to go to a laboratory or even feel sick when you are availing of diagnostic services. We value your life. You don’t have to be sad when you get not-so good results. Instead, we want you to have a positive outlook and be thankful rather that an illness can be detected at an early phase of your life,” Unjo stated.

LifeLab manager Louie Tadlas said that the company claims to be the first-of-its-kind laboratory in Cebu to make use of the most-advanced facilities that are mostly coming from Japan, France and Netherlands.

One of the top-of-the-line innovations of LifeLab that Tadlas highlighted during the media tour is the Snibe Diagnostics Maglumi 1000 which is primarily used for early detection of cancer and thyroid abnormalities among others.

Unlike the traditional diagnostic laboratories, he said that LifeLab assures its customers of the accuracy of their test results with the use of the company’s up-to-date technology.

He further emphasized the adoption of  bar coding for every medical test to avoid human error. Results are directly transmitted to the Laboratory Information System (LIS) wherein  all  medical tests are stored, processed and managed in a database of the company’s computer.

“Our machines will transmit results to the barcode that bears the patient’s identification. This could guarantee our customers that the transmission of results will be more accurate and properly done through this high-end technology,” he said.

As LifeLab commits itself to provide fast and reliable clinical tests, clients need not to wait longer for their test results that are readily available in printed copies and via online through e-mail. Its machines are also capable of performing multiple tests on a single blood sample.

The company intends a turn-around  time of  two to four houses for routine testing and a maximum of one day for special type of tests. For corporate accounts, results could be obtained within 48 hours.

Unjo also cited that the vibrant health care sector in Cebu with the increasing number of hospitals, clinics, wellness and fitness centers in the metropolitan with the growing demand for health-related activities such as fun runs and yoga classes.

He said that the opening of LifeLab is timely with the construction of the two new hospitals, the University of Cebu Medical Center and Chong Hua Hospital, within the vicinity.

Aside from a family doctor and general doctor, LifeLab also has a pool of doctors who have specializations in pediatrics, oncology, internal medicine and obstetrics.

Not only does it serve to walk-in clients, the company also caters to the diagnostic needs and clinical laboratory testing services of both corporate accounts and medical community.

With its vision to be the preferred diagnostics laboratory in Visayas and Mindanao, LifeLab plans to extend mobile laboratory services and expand to neighboring provinces.

It is also eyeing to be accredited with the ISO-certification by 2014 and be eventually categorized as a tertiary laboratory. — (FREEMAN)