Mr. Ph. Marijana Medić on new standards on TV TEUTA

Mr. Ph. Marijana Medić was a guest on TV Teuta in Ulcinj and spoke about the services provided by the newly opened polyclinic and laboratory Standard in Bar and Ulcinj.

Listen to what the high standard in diagnostics and medicine means and why accreditation is important.

You will find out why preparing before drawing blood is important and what tips to stick to.

We've added a transcript below for content visibility.  

Transcript 

Health is the standard, and every patient deserves only the best. In the polyclinic and laboratory Standard in Ulcinj and Bar, patients can recently obtain a range of medical services, examinations, perform findings according to modern standards with maximum professionalism, precision and expertise. 

Although young, the Standard Polyclinic has already recognized itself as a new reliable partner of patients consisting of medical professionals from the country and the region. 

Mr. Ph. Marijana Medic: Polyclinic Standard is located in Bar, in Soho City, lamela B, as the central part of our institution, and in Ulcinj we opened a laboratory. It is located near the roundabout, diagonally from the Health Center. 

Since our establishment, since November 2022, we strive to provide the patient with the help of eminent doctors, with the help of state-of-the-art equipment and friendly staff, the highest level of medical service in various medical activities. So, in the Standard polyclinic you can perform an ENT examination. The ENT clinic is led by Dr. Andrijana Radovanić. Then we have neurology, neurologist doctor consultant Merdin Markisic. Then neurosurgery, consultant Dr. Rade Šćekić, we have physical therapy, physical medicine, it is led by Darija Popović and we do aesthetic medicine where we even have three doctors.

These are activities that have already been registered, we plan to expand this in the next 2-3 weeks, so we will soon have gastroenterology, then general medicine, occupational medicine and ophthalmology. 

Of course, we are already in agreement with the doctors of the most eminent in these areas that I have mentioned. 

As for the laboratory and laboratory diagnostics, our laboratory operates to the highest standards, and is led by doctors headed by Dr. Danica Popović and Dr. Mirjana Zindović. 

As for the analyses that can be done, we are registered for biochemistry, microbiology and histopathology. 

In the laboratory there are state-of-the-art appliances, and the whole system is automated, connected to the information system so that the percentage of error is at a minimum. As for automated apparatus, there are apparatus for hematology, for biochemistry, for immuno-chemistry, for virology and so on. 

Of course, we adhere to good laboratory practice, and our eminent experts, as well as all staff are constantly in medical education, so we are continuously educating ourselves. 

As far as the lab is concerned, we're going to be accredited. We are currently in the process of accreditation, no laboratory in Montenegro, private laboratory is accredited.

The standard by which we are accredited is an international standard that is very demanding. The standard is called ISO/IEC 15189 and in order to be a little clearer what accreditation means – accreditation is actually a recognition of state authorities, i.e. The accreditation body of Montenegro has the laboratory to successfully perform all procedures according to the international standard.

They mean they control it, and I can also say that accreditation is trust, trust of patients and clinicians, i.e. the doctors in the analysis who obtain that they are accurate, that they are accurate, and that they are timely. 

The laboratory in Ulcinj works every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Saturdays it works from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

TV TEUTA: Dr. Medic reveals for us some tips, but also mistakes that patients need to be familiar with before they do the necessary laboratory analysis. 

Mr. Ph. Marijana Medic: Laboratory diagnostics is the help of a doctor to make a certain diagnosis at the right time and to have adequate findings so that he can prescribe therapy after therapy. In order for a doctor to have this condition, the individuals must be adequately prepared to come to the laboratory. So I'd like to give you some advice on what's important to patients before they come.

I think most know that before coming to the laboratory, for most analyses, they should not eat, that's about 12 hours before sampling, the patient should not eat, but also drink.

He can only drink water. For what reason?

If you drink, for example, coffee, tea or some juice, if there is sugar, there will be increased glucose, it is blood sugar.

If he ate dinner late and ate some fatty foods, triglycerides, cholesterol will be increased. So the rule is 12 hours without meals before arriving at the lab. 

A very important factor is physical activity, especially in young people who go to the gym and maybe a few hours of exposure to some physical activity before coming to the laboratory. It is important to note that this physical activity can lead to an increase in some enzymes in the blood, so for example the concentration of the enzyme CK increases, it is a cardiac enzyme, creatine kinase, and some others such as LDH, AST and so on. And a significant increase in this enzyme of cardiac ck can even be 50% and it takes seven days to return to normal. So, no excessive physical activity the day before the blood draw.

Tobacco also has an impact on some analyses, so it is recommended not to use tobacco an hour before taking the blood because the amount of cigarettes or the amount of smoke inhaled can affect the overgrowth and increase the concentration of adrenaline and can also increase lipid status, cholesterol and triglycerides.

Sample time is also important. What does that mean?

We always recommend that you come in the morning between 7 and 9 or 7 and 10, because some constituents in the blood vary throughout the day and are not the same value in the morning, at noon or in the evening. Iron, for example, can vary by up to 50% between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. There are also sensitive cortisol and prolactin and TSH, which is a thyroid hormone and is often done in the laboratory. 

What are the factors that influence all of this? 

It is a state of wakefulness or sleep, stress during the day, amount of food, physical activity, etc. So, a recommendation between 7 and 9 to draw blood, then a state of rest. When patients come to the laboratory, it is recommended, for example, to stay for 15 minutes, to stabilize a little of these constituents in the blood, adrenaline, cortisol, ACTH, prolactin affects this condition – whether the patient rested before he drew blood or ran out of the car and rushed out of stress into the laboratory. 

It is also very important therapy, to tell our professional staff at the counter if he is on therapy, what therapy he is on and to direct the guy that it is best to drink his therapy after taking blood, but of course this has to be agreed with his chosen doctor. We can't advise because he has to be guided by a doctor who guides him. For example, if he is in therapy with iron and takes iron in the morning and comes to us he will have a falsehigh value of iron or, as far as anticoagulant therapy is concerned, patients who receive this therapy are best to take the drug in the evening and come for a blood draw in the morning.

Another factor that is significant is that the patient is hydrated, that during the previous day he takes some normal amount of water, that is about two liters, because in dehydrated patients they know the veins to recede and are harder to find, so that they do not have a problem before the blood draw.

It also affects alcohol. If it is drunk the night before and we always see it in the laboratory, the liver enzymes are slightly increased, but they should definitely be alcohol-free patients to get the right results. 

TV TEUTA: In front of the patient is an easy choice, professional staff, modern appliances, precision, responsibility and above all knowledge – polyclinic and laboratory Standard is the right choice. 

mr. ph. Marijana Medic: I will repeat once again that Standard Polyclinic invests a lot in eminent experts who are continuously trained, that we have the most modern equipment and that we are in the process of accreditation, that we will be the first laboratory in Kranj Gora that will be accredited. As I said, accreditation is one confidence of doctors and patients in accurate and reliable results. 

TV TEUTA: Health is a source of happiness and longevity therefore "Let's bring the standard back into our lives". 

Feature: TV TEUTA, April 5, 2023

The price list of our services can be viewed here.

When we protect our hearing, we protect our health

Every year in April, the world celebrates Noise Protection Day. It's not yet another, short-term opportunity to convey a message about the importance of hearing protection

Serious campaigns include workshops, lectures and forums on hearing protection, the importance of prevention and timely response to the problem. Why?

Noise is a form of pollution.

Just as we pay attention to the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat, it is equally important we take care of the sounds that reach to us. 

Noise disturbs peace.

Noise affects psychophysical health, and hearing loss caused by noise affects the safety of movement and functioning at home or at work.

That's not all. But let's first see how to identify the problem.

Symptoms of impaired hearing

Here are some of the signs that indicate hearing problem:

  • You hear speech and sounds like vague murmuring
  • You have difficulty understanding words, especially in a noisy place
  • You keep turning up the tone on your TV or phone
  • You often have to ask your company to speak slowly, loudly and clearly

Withdrawal from conversation and avoidance of social events is present as well.

The feeling of hearing loss is not pleasant, and it is especially difficult for the elderly when they feel that others are avoiding them because of the efforts they put into conversation, elevated tones or inability to understand others.

Children may be insecure, confused and discouraged, and there is really no individual for whom this does not pose a mental, physical, and even emotional challenge.

Today, such problems are solvable.

How we introduced new standards in ENT treatment at the Polyclinic

Polyclinic Standard hires only highly qualified persons for the services it offers. Our ENT practice has state-of-the-art equipment and diagnostic procedures for hearing testing of children and adults in Montenegro.

Equipment only is not enough. We want to restore the standard of patient care and to raise patient awareness on the importance of prevention and timely response. 

DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL ALL OUR ETN SERVICES ARE REDUCED BY 20%

Spring fatigue or spring mood?

Spring brings with it a number of changes, and fatigue is very common one. Allergies and sneezes are not pleasant either, but not every change is unpleasant either. Some can be associated with a better mood, heightened desire to stay in nature and to be active. We can certainly try to make it so.

Spring allergies, fatigue, colds, sneezes, asthma... These are some of the most common problems that occur at this time of the year.

The lack of exposure to sunlight during the winter can be felt through vitamin D deficiency, and the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables on the table will lead to a lack of important vitamins and minerals.

All this affects the feeling of fatigue, exhaustion and lowered mood. 

Allergy or cold

Problems with allergies may be indicated by a constant runny nose, irritation of the throat, persistent sneezing and the feeling that we have a cold that does not pass. They can be accompanied by breathing problems or skin reactions. 

Maybe it is really only a cold that's hard to treat, transient irritation, but maybe it is an allergy that should be paid attention to. We can't do that without a medical examination and proper analysis.

Specific and reliable laboratory and allergy testsare important for the proper diagnosis of problems that come with spring, as well as regular control and monitoring of already known, chronic conditions.

 Your doctor cannot determine a treatment plan without reliable findings, whether it's asthma, sneezing, infection, allergies, hormone disruption, or vitamin and mineral deficiency.

Fatigue is a common consequence of one of the problems mentioned.

Standard of care for patients

In the laboratory Standard , you can conduct analyses that will help you determine the cause of spring problems or fatigue. This is the best way to deal with it or to avoid exacerbation in case of chronical problems.

The laboratory is equipped with devices of the latest technology. But just the equipment is not enough. Experts take care of the procedure according to the highest international standards so that the results are reliable. 

The results always arrive in time, but the patient must also take care of himself/herself and report the symptom in a timely manner.

Take care of yourself, that's the only way we can take care of you.

Always consult your doctor to assess whether you need an analysis and which one. Do not neglect the symptom and trust the experts. Once we trace the root of the problem, it is easy to remove it.

There is no need to suffer fatigue or difficulties.

The team of the polyclinic and laboratory Standard wishes you an active spring, in a good mood.

Laboratory Standard – advanced diagnostics, approach with care.