Laboratory professionals take leading role in health promotion
Professionals in medical laboratory explain dwarfism in a short play.
Do not drink water before receiving a blood test requiring an empty stomach and do not take samples from a baby's napkin for medical testing. These useful tips and others are being spread at a science promotion competition through interesting and innovative ways, such as talk shows, musicals and short plays.
Some 300 professionals who work in the medical laboratories of 115 medical facilities in the city took part in the competition, which held its final on Wednesday.
Experts used simple words and performances to promote basic knowledge, explain common questions, and answer doubts on medical tests and help the public have a better understanding on the process and meaning behind medical tests and how to enhance their health management.
"The competition, which serves as a bridge between professionals and the public, allows professionals who usually stay in the laboratory and do not have direct connection with patients to stand on the stage to promote health education," said Lu Taohong, vice director of the Shanghai Health Commission, which teamed up with the Shanghai Center for Clinical Laboratories to organize the competition.
Local residents said the competition was very helpful and had corrected many misunderstanding.
"After seeing the performances, I learnt genetic screening is not mysterious but very helpful and useful in disease diagnosis," said an audience member. "Doctors explained deep theories with simple words and performance, which was easy to understand."
The Shanghai government has encouraged medical professionals to become involved in health education and is the first city in China to adopt medics' performance in health promotion into their senior academic title applications and professional performance evaluations.
Medical knowledge is spread in an interesting and fun way.
