The American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) will present the Point-of-Care Coordinator of the Year Award to Pet Maniquis, M.P.A., M.T. (A.S.C.), P.O.C.C. (A.A.C.C.), regional Point-of-Care Coordinator for Physicians Reference Laboratory at Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan. and Saint John Hospital, Leavenworth, Kan.Maniquis will receive the international award at the organization’s convention July 15-19 in Los Angeles, Calif.
The award is given annually to one individual to recognize outstanding achievements in the point-of-care testing field. These are individuals who are primarily responsible for an organization’s point-of-care testing program.
Maniquis was selected by an awards committee from the AACC Critical and Point-of-Care Testing Division. Selection is based on the nominee’s responsibilities and accomplishments, particularly the impact the individual has made in improving the quality of the point-of-care at their facility.
As the hospitals’ point-of-care coordinator, Maniquis is responsible for quality assurance and performance improvement, quality control review to detect any potential problems, coordination of proficiency testing performance, and writing policies and procedures.
Maniquis is actively involved in training and re-certification of point-of-care end users. She participates in the evaluation, selection and validation of point-of-care devices. She implements devices on units, performs linearity, precision, correlation and method comparisons and maintains point-of-care devices in use.
“It is a great honor to be chosen for this award, not only for me, but for the hospitals as well,” Maniquis says. “It is a confirmation that my work is recognized not only locally, but internationally. It is great to work in such a friendly, quality-conscious environment.”
Maniquis has 40 years of experience in a laboratory setting. Originally from the Philippines, she came to the United States to further her studies in clinical laboratory technology.
Maniquis’ work experience includes training as a forensic analyst at the Federal Bureau of Investigation laboratory in Arlington, Va., and she also served as a state expert witness for toxicology until 2000. Prior to its closing, she worked at Bethany Medical Center as a special chemistry supervisor, forensic analyst and laboratory manager. In 2001 she joined Providence where she advanced to her current position.
Maniquis is currently a member of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, American Association of Clinical Chemists and serves on the board of directors of the Clinical Laboratory Management Association’s Kansas City Chapter. She has been instrumental in organizing and running the Heart of America Point-of-Care Network since its inception in 2004.
Maniquis also volunteers her skills to help with local and international medical relief efforts. She serves as a technical consultant to the Heart-to-Heart International Laboratory Volunteer Program and was the first laboratory professional to serve the organization in Greensburg, Kan. after the town was devastated by a tornado in 2007.
Currently through Heart-to-Heart’s partnership with JayDoc Clinic, a free clinic run by Kansas University medical students, she has organized local laboratory volunteers to offer services in the clinic. She has also traveled to Solola, Guatemala with Heart-to-Heart, helping to establish a clinic laboratory that provides basic diagnostic testing.
In addition to her professional and volunteer work, she is an emeritus member of the Greater Kansas City Master Gardeners and several other gardening clubs.
She is a watercolor artist and a member of the Greater Kansas City Art Association. Maniquis enjoys creating stained glass, ceramics and Ukranian (pysansky) eggs.
She likes architecture, photography, gourmet cooking and traveling. She has one son, a daughter-in-law and a granddaughter. The American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) will present the Point-of-Care Coordinator of the Year Award to Pet Maniquis, M.P.A., M.T. (A.S.C.), P.O.C.C. (A.A.C.C.), regional Point-of-Care Coordinator for Physicians Reference Laboratory at Providence Medical Center, Kansas City, Kan. and Saint John Hospital, Leavenworth, Kan.
Maniquis will receive the international award at the organization’s convention July 15-19 in Los Angeles, Calif.
The award is given annually to one individual to recognize outstanding achievements in the point-of-care testing field. These are individuals who are primarily responsible for an organization’s point-of-care testing program.
Maniquis was selected by an awards committee from the AACC Critical and Point-of-Care Testing Division. Selection is based on the nominee’s responsibilities and accomplishments, particularly the impact the individual has made in improving the quality of the point-of-care at their facility.
