Auxiliary Approves $110,800 Request December 3, 2003 Catawba Valley Medical Center Auxiliary Approves $110,800 Request

During its November board meeting, the Catawba Valley Medical Center’s Auxiliary approved its largest request ever of $110,800 to purchase a hematology analyzer for the medical center’s lab, according to Betty Long, CVMC director of Volunteer Services. The addition of the hematology analyzer will provide several benefits. The new equipment will interface with other departments via electronic transmission to allow blood test results to be viewed at the patient’s location within the facility. Of benefit to HIV patients is the equipment’s ability to analyze T-cell testing on site. In the past these tests were sent to a reference lab, requiring several days to receive results. Also, the closed tube sampling now possible with the hematology analyzer is much safer for technologists when gathering blood samples. CVMC’s Auxiliary has about 225 members, who, if paid an average salary for their 27,500 hours of work each year, donate more than $350,000 annually to the medical center. Catawba Valley Medical Center is a not-for-profit healthcare system providing and promoting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of the public in addition to serving as a center for health education, wellness services, preventive medicine and acute care. It was recently designated as the thirty-second Magnet facility in the nation and the second in the Carolinas.