The Medical Service teams up with an external laboratory

Since January, the CERN Medical Service has been collaborating with Proxilis, a medical testing laboratory in Meyrin, to carry out blood tests.

Sylvie Leprat, a nurse from the Proxilis laboratory, comes to the CERN Medical Service (Building 57, first floor) at 8 a.m. every morning to take blood samples.

These samples are then taken from CERN to the Proxilis laboratory, where they are analysed by machines, lab technicians or the team's biologist. The results are first conveyed to CERN doctors over the telephone. Then, at the end of the day, they are incorporated into the patient's medical file for validation and possible comments by CERN doctors, before being e-mailed to the patient.

People at CERN who are having blood tests done outside the context of their regular medical check-up receive an e-mail inviting them to choose a day and time for the blood samples to be taken. This provides a flexible service that allows appointments to be arranged according to their availability and changed if necessary, and also minimises waiting times.

Blood tests carried out as part of a regular check-up continue to be scheduled by the Medical Service secretariat.

Nicole Dumoulin in her laboratory at the CERN Medical Service.

This new collaboration follows the departure of one of our colleagues, Nicole Dumoulin, who, having worked as a lab technician in the Medical Service since November 1973, retired at the end of 2014 after 41 years at CERN. Highly valued by her patients and the whole Medical Service team, Nicole witnessed the evolution of the Service, which was established in 1965: “Throughout my career, I’ve always really liked CERN’s academic atmosphere and cosmopolitan environment,” Nicole says. “I’ve forged bonds with all my patients over the years, from young apprentices to ageing physicists who have forgotten to retire! Working here for 41 years, I've seen CERN change, ten new Directors-General take up their positions, and several patients receive Nobel prizes!”

The Medical Service team would like to thank Nicole for her professionalism and kindness and wishes her all the best for the future!

CERN Medical Service