BD (Becton, Dickinson & Co.) India and Dr Lal’s Path Labs have set up a Centre of Excellence in phlebotomy (blood collection, sampling) in the Millennium City, Gurgaon.

It will provide certified phlebotomy courses to healthcare professionals, laboratory technicians, assistants and nurses, and support them in driving best practices in pre-analytical processes for accurate and reliable diagnosis. BD also conducts workshops on phlebotomy based on good laboratory practices that are endorsed by the Association of Clinical Biochemists of India (ACBI), an organization that is at the forefront of constantly improving practices in laboratory medicine.

The company will impart intensive training on fundamental principles of safe blood collection; specimen handling and sample preparation that will help develop the critical capacity of maintaining first-rate specimen quality and protect the safety of patients and medical staff. This new initiative will strengthen laboratory services by improving the quality of patient specimens and reducing incidence of pre-analytical errors, thereby improving safety for both patients and healthcare workers. It is estimated that 70-85 per cent of clinical decisions are based upon information derived from laboratory test results.

“There are over 50,000 clinical laboratories in India. Studies have indicated that nearly 68 per cent of all errors in laboratory testing are associated with the pre-analytical phase which is phlebotomy. There is immense potential to enhance the skills of laboratory technicians in line with the growing healthcare needs of the Indian population,” said Varun Khanna, managing director, BD India.

For more than 60 years, BD has served as the pioneer and leader in the science of specimen collection. With the goal of helping strengthen healthcare systems, BD works with and provides training for laboratory staff and clinicians who can then help educate other healthcare workers at their facilities.

Brig Dr Arvind Lal, chairman & managing director, Dr Lal Path Labs, said “The initiative to provide training for laboratory staff and clinicians will help in the long term for Gurgaon’s healthcare.”