MEDTEK’s EQUAS for Serology Seminar

Medical technologists from all over the Metro headed towards the Robinson’s Place Manila for the EQUAS for Serology Seminar last September 2, 2016. They trickled in through the parting doors of Max’s Restaurant, mostly in groups and in scrubs, fresh off their Friday duties from their respective hospitals and laboratories. Our MEDTEK representatives welcomed and ushered them in as they registered and waited for the conference to begin.

At around 5:15 PM, Mr. Agustin Javelosa, one of our product specialists, took to the floor and commenced the event with the welcoming address. He then gave a brief presentation on MEDTEK and the latest technologies it has to offer. Participants listened as they read through our catalogues of potential laboratory upgrades. Our product specialist for chemistry and electrolytes, Ms. Zeres Infantado, took over and promoted our product list for chemistry and electrolytes analyzers. All of these are part of MEDTEK’s effort to consistently update our clients with the new technologies we can provide for them.

Once the product presentations were completed, Max’s Restaurant began serving their best dishes to our hardworking participants. Our guests also took this as an opportunity to mingle with one another while eating their meals. After the lively dinner, Ms. Susan Leaño approached the front to set up her prepared presentation. Ms. Leaño is the chief medical technologist and deputy quality management representative of the National Reference Laboratory San Lazaro Hospital – STD AIDS Cooperative Center Laboratory (NRL-SLH/SACCL) in Sta. Cruz, Manila. She’s also in charge of the Quality Assurance for EQUAS, making her the perfect guest lecturer for the event.

EQUAS or External Quality Assessment Scheme is an objective system that evaluates the testing processes of laboratories. It allows its participants to monitor their performance as well as compare their results with those of other laboratories around the world. In cases of errors in the testing process, the system also helps in identifying and correcting their sources. Knowledge on its utility is a must for medical technologists and the event aims to clarify any misunderstandings and confusion that some, if not most, medical technologists encounter with EQUAS.

Ms. Susan Leaño highlighted the common oversights made by medical technologists when engaging with EQUAS to keep our participants from doing the same. She also did a step-by-step demonstration of how users could input their processes and how to correctly interpret the results they’re provided with. Reminders on the proper filing of documents and regular updating were also made. The participants made the most out of the seminar and asked various questions to our guest speaker who readily provided them with much needed answers.

The seminar ended with a deeper understanding of EQUAS on the part of our guests and the satisfaction of a job well done on ours. Product manager Mr. Manuel William Catral gave the closing remarks and thanked Ms. Susan Leaño, our participants, and our venue provider for making the event more successful than we had anticipated.