Faster Answers, Better Care at Redwood Coast PACE
When older adults become ill, waiting days for laboratory results can delay treatment and lead to unnecessary trips to the emergency department. At Redwood Coast PACE, faster answers help participants receive the right care at the right time.
In 2025, Redwood Coast PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) expanded and opened its third site in Arcata on the Mad River Community Hospital campus. As enrollment at the new site has grown, so has the need for timely diagnostic services. Thanks to a generous grant, Humboldt Senior Resource Center (HSRC) has been able to expand point-of-care laboratory services to the Arcata site through the purchase of a Sysmex Complete Blood Count (CBC) Analyzer and a Piccolo Chemistry Analyzer.
Unlike traditional laboratory testing, which can require transporting participants to outside laboratories followed by days of waiting for results, point-of-care testing provides critical diagnostic information in as little as 15 minutes. The impact can be lifesaving.
Recently, a PACE participant arrived in the clinic with symptoms that did not initially appear life-threatening. On-site laboratory testing quickly revealed significant abnormalities, however, prompting immediate transfer to the emergency department. The participant was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis — a life-threatening complication of diabetes — and received emergency treatment that led to a full recovery. Without immediate access to laboratory testing, the outcome could have been very different.
“Our goal is simple,” said Melissa Hooven, HSRC’s chief executive officer. “We want older adults to receive timely, coordinated care from the healthcare professionals they know and trust. Expanding laboratory services brings critical diagnostic tools closer to our participants and allows us to respond more quickly when every minute matters.”
Every investment in Redwood Coast PACE is an investment in the health and independence of Humboldt County’s older adults. HSRC is deeply grateful to the businesses, foundations and individuals whose generosity helps more older adults receive timely diagnoses, earlier treatment and the compassionate, coordinated care that allows them to continue living safely in the homes and communities they cherish.
To learn more about Redwood Coast PACE and other HSRC programs, visit humsenior.org or call 707-443-9747.
Andrea Richardson is HSRC’s director of Fund Development. Email: arichardson@humsenior.org.
