Super sleuths boost Townsville’s diagnostic ability

The next generation of scientific sleuths have begun at The Townsville Hospital to help doctors treat and diagnose patients with four new pathology registrars starting at the Pathology Queensland laboratory this month.

Each day, Townsville’s laboratory performs more than 400 blood collections and each year they conduct more than 1 million tests and 3,000 screens for cervical cancer.

The junior doctors will work in anatomical pathology, diagnosing disease through molecular examination of organs and tissue and haematology, the study of blood and blood disorders.

Anatomical pathology registrar Dr Billy Lam said pathology was a crucial but often misunderstood part of a patient’s journey.

“When a patient comes in to the hospital they’ll often need a range of tests, I am one of those doctors that run those tests,” he said.

“I am looking for any number of conditions through the microscopic investigation of samples and once I have that result we feed back to the doctors and they begin treatment.

“We are really the investigative unit of the hospital that uses the clues from the patient’s samples to work out what is making them unwell.”

Acting Townsville Pathology Laboratory Manager Nathan Reeks said the Health Support Queensland laboratory in Townsville had more than a 100 staff and processed close to 4000 samples every day.

“This is the big show that we run here in Townsville as Northern Australia’s biggest pathology laboratory,” he said.

“We process samples looking for cancers, tropical diseases, chronic diseases and rare and exotic diseases all out of the local laboratory.

“Pathology is an extremely specialised skill and we are delighted to welcome the next generation of clinicians to the hospital through this important program.”

Health Support Queensland Chief Executive Dr Peter Bristow said the positions were funded through the Department of Health’s Specialist Training Program.

“This pathway is invaluable for both the junior doctors and the rural hospitals that they go and work for,” he said.

“Regional and rural hospitals often have a much wider scope of practice that allows junior doctors to get broad experience that they may not necessarily receive in a major metro teaching hospital.

“It also boosts the workforce in these rural areas ensuring there is a constant flow of upcoming specialists coming through these facilities.

“I wish the four registrars in Townsville all the best, having previously worked out of Townsville I’m confident they will have a professionally rewarding year.”

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