Clinical Laboratory

About Us

The William Newton Hospital (WNH) Laboratory is a full service clinical laboratory. The lab is staffed by certified personnel and is dedicated to efficient handling and quality testing. WNH is the laboratory for many physician's offices, nursing homes and rural health clinics in the area. The management is dedicated to training and teaching and we offer clinical rotations for area laboratory training programs. The WNH Clinical Laboratory is licensed with the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA).

Hours

Monday through Friday
7:30am to 4:00pm

Contact

Call 620-221-2300 ext. 1185 for more information. After hours, please call ext. 1169.

Description of Services

Blood Bank/Transfusion

The WNH Lab houses a full service blood bank (transfusion service). Blood is provided by the American Red Cross Blood Services in Wichita and is donated by volunteer blood donors from throughout Kansas and northern Oklahoma.

Urinalysis

This test is one of the oldest laboratory tests still in use. We test urine using several chemical screening tests. The results of these tests can indicate several renal or systemic diseases. We also will look at all samples under the microscope to look for bacteria, crystals, cells, or other objects which can indicate a disease.

Immunology

In immunology, we use rapid, manual detection tests on blood and other body fluids to test for antibodies and other proteins to detect infections and other conditions. Examples of tests in this area are: pregnancy, mono, rheumatoid arthritis, bacteria-causing pneumonia, and pre-term labor. We also have another automated method to test for HIV, hepatitis and a variety of hormones.

Hematology & Coagulation

Medical Technologists and Technicians in the hematology laboratory play a major role in patient care. The testing assays and examinations that they perform can do the following:    

• Confirm a physician's clinical impression of a possible hematological disorder.   
• Establish a diagnosis or rule out a diagnosis.   
• Detect an unsuspected disorder.   
• Monitor the effects of radiation or chemotherapy.

Basic Hematology Procedures such as the Complete Blood Count (CBC), which includes measurement and examination of White Blood Cells (WBC), Red Blood Cells (RBC) and their indices, Hemoglobin, and Platelets, and the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) frequently guide the physician in development of a patient diagnosis.

Even though the CBC is the most frequently requested procedure, the technologists and technicians must be familiar with the theory and practice of a variety of automated and manual tests, including Reticulocyte Counts and Body Fluid Cell Counts. The field of Hematology also includes the study of Hemostasis and Thrombosis.

Coagulation or Hemostasis is the study of the body's ability to form clots, dissolve clots, and maintain the delicate balance in between.

The "Coag" Area of the Hematology lab aids the physician in the detection of coagulation abnormalities and the monitoring of medication affecting them. Using tests such as Protime (PT) with INR, Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT), Fibrinogen, and Platelet Function the physician can assess and make medication changes as necessary and in a timely manner.

Microbiology

The purpose of a Microbiology lab is to identify bacteria that cause infection in body fluids and tissues and to test for the antibiotics that will work best to treat those infections.

Chemistry

The largest area in the laboratory is the chemistry area. WNH offers a wide variety of general chemistry, special chemistry, and therapeutic drug testing done on blood, urine, or body fluid. The automated equipment will allow a very high throughput for the general chemistry tests. The special chemistry tests take longer to run (up to 1 hour on the instrument) however this is still faster than sending the work to a reference laboratory. 

Reference Laboratory

For those tests that the laboratory is not able to perform in-house, we are affiliated with a national reference laboratory. To ensure the quickest turnaround time possible the laboratory is directly interfaced with the testing laboratory so reports do not have to be mailed. The reference laboratory provides a courier service to pick up specimens six days a week.

Molecular Diagnostic Testing

Molecular Diagnostic tests detect specific sequences in DNA or RNA that may be associated with disease. Molecular diagnostics are used for common respiratory viruses and bacteria: influenza, RSV, and Group A strep among others.

Toxicology

William Newton Hospital offers toxicology and drug screening services for our patients and area employers. Alcohol screening is also available. 

File a Grievance

Please feel free to speak with us about your concerns. If you would like to file a formal grievance with the hospital, Click Here. To see a CLIA brochure describing your rights and options for filing a grievance related to a clinical laboratory, Click Here!