By Cheryl Smith
Publisher
Colleen Payne Nabors had a vision and little did she know that when she founded MCI Diagnostic Center, the world would be facing a pandemic that has to date killed 1.34 million worldwide and 248,000 in the United States.
On Thursday, November 19, 2020 at noon the long-time health professional will be joined by elected officials, healthcare officials, members of the NFL Alumni and NFL Players Association for the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting for the $20 million laboratory that is capable of a 24-to-48 hour turnaround on testing, MCI Diagnostic Center, 9728 Greenville Ave. Dallas, TX 75243.
“We have the right equipment to do the testing,” said Payne Nabors, as she talked about the Service-Disabled, Veteran Owned small business that she is the chief operating officer of.
With headquarters in Tulsa Oklahoma, MCI Diagnostic offers national laboratory testing and diagnostics and is expanding to Dallas and Payne said the expansion could potentially provide hundreds of jobs.
MCI Diagnostic’s opening comes at a time when COVID-19 numbers continue to increase, according to information shared with Dallas City Councilman Casey Thomas, during his Black COVID-19 Task Force meetings, but also when there are increased efforts to get citizens to take the test and also participate in a COVID-19 study conducted by UT Southwestern.
“We have to get this information out,” said Thomas, during a recent meeting where focus was on reaching certain zip codes, like 75216.
Payne Nabors knows that with the continued increase in COVID-19 cases, unfortunately many are distrusting of anything remotely related to testing. For her, in addition to practicing safety guidelines, testing is important for those with the virus, as well as those they come into contact with.
“COVID has made a lot of us distrusting,” she explained. “We have to help them understand that there’s no harm coming to us by getting tested.”
That’s why she decided to do ground deployment and provide mobile testing, with the ability to go into communities that won’t come to be tested.
“We want to help,”she said, adding that the company is operating across the country. “We have been on the frontlines with the intent of helping the underserved communities.
“We also offer free testing. We must save us, support us and serve us.
Payne said the location is part of the largest African American-owned diagnostic Center in the country providing a number of services including ultrasound testing, toxicology and pain management, providing testing for several major clients, including the city of Dallas and Job Corps.
Pointing out that the expansion into Texas, specifically DFW, Sherman, and San Antonio, was facilitated by the awarding of government contracts that continues their efforts that include presence in major cities in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North and South Carolina, Florida, in her home state of Oklahoma, and Houston.
Those expected at the ribbon-cutting include Dallas Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Adam McGough, National Football League (NFL) Alumni Association Dallas Chapter President Liffort Hobley and NFL Players Association DFW Chapter President Larry Mallory.
The founder of seven successful businesses, Payne Nabors is the author of “I Did it My Way and it Worked!, Redefining the Art of Entrepreneurship.” The University of Texas Medical Branch grad brings over 35 years of experience in the medical field, in everything from nuclear medicine, manufacturing, sales and working in a hospital.
Anyone planning to attend the ribbon cutting is asked to RSVP because of space limitation due to social distancing guidelines.
For additional information call 918-902-6440. Face Covering is Required. https://www.eventbrite.com/o/mci-diagnostics-31796960503
MCI Diagnostic Center has several certifications, including College of American Pathologists (CAP), Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), Commission on Office Laboratory Accreditation (COLA), The Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI), and the Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
