Lab changes only temporary, say authorities

CALEB NICKERSON
SHAWVILLE Sept. 28, 2020 
The transfer of certain local microbiology samples from the Pontiac Community Hospital’s laboratory to Gatineau is only a temporary measure due to a loss of staff, according to local health authorities. 
THE EQUITY spoke with Carolin Beaudet, regional laboratory coordinator, as well as Dr. Ewa Wesolowska, the medical director for Optilab and the department head for laboratory medicine for the CISSSO, who explained the changes in the local service. 
“The fact that we are transferring some specimens to the Gatineau Hospital is because we . . .

have a lack of employees right now,” explained Beaudet, who noted that two of the lab’s technicians had departed recently. The lab normally has seven staff. 
“We are faced with a really difficult situation because we have to do the work with just five technologists,” said Wesolowska, who noted that samples would only be sent to the city in non-urgent cases. 
“It was unexpected to have a problem, we didn’t want to have to do this, but we have to do it,” she continued. “We have no other way.”
Beaudet asserted that since the lab in the city is open 16 hours a day, the samples can be processed quickly despite the extra transportation time. 
“Traveling to the city, the turnaround for the results will be adequate, if not the same or better,” she said. 
Both denied that the local lab would be closing down or that local services would eventually be transferred to the city. Wesolowska added that the Optilab project, which was created to centralize the CISSSO’s lab testing, was currently on hold due to the pandemic. “Because of the COVID, right now on the ministerial level, Optilab is on hold,” she said.