WELLINGTON COUNTY – During National Medical Laboratory Week, the InterHospital Laboratory Partnership is celebrating 65 years of advancing healthcare through regional collaboration.
Formed in 1959, the partnership is the longest-standing laboratory partnership in Canada and has grown to serve Southwestern Ontario’s Huron, Perth, Grey, Wellington, and Bruce counties.
Membership includes Hanover & District Hospital, Huron Health System, Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance, Listowel Wingham Hospitals Alliance, South Bruce Grey Health Centre, and Wellington Health Care Alliance.
“The IHLP is a cornerstone of collaborative healthcare delivery,” says Dr. Christopher Tran, Pathologist and IHLP Medical Laboratory Director said in a news release. “By sharing resources and technical expertise, we can ensure patients have access to a wide range of high-quality tests. This would otherwise be difficult to achieve if each lab was to function individually.
The IHLP labs performed over 2.2 million laboratory tests in 2023.
Between the six healthcare organizations, there are a total of 16 rural hospital sites that employ approximately 200 Medical Laboratory Professionals.
“Our dedicated team of laboratory professionals work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure patients get accurate and timely results,” adds Dana Howes, CEO of Hanover & District Hospital and the chair of the IHLP CEO council. “We greatly appreciate the work they do, to improve the health of our rural communities and wish them a Happy National Medical Laboratory Week!
For more information about the InterHospital Laboratory Partnership, visit ihlp.ca.