Network Theory and Vascular Laboratories: Uncovering What It Takes to Be a Successful Diagnostic Lab in the Competitive World of Medicine

The medical community is a network of physicians, nurses, technologists, patients, insurance companies, and administrators who interact with each other to provide patient care. Within this vast network is the vascular laboratory. Using actor network theory described by Stanley Milgram, Bruno Latour, and Albert-László Barabási I am able to identify different factors called actors that play a pivotal role in the survival of a vascular laboratory(or any other diagnostic lab) in today's medical community. In the historical perspective of the vascular lab network, technology has blurred the separation of gender roles between the typical physician (masculine) and nurse (feminine). Furthermore, other, less recognized interactions, such as trust and confidence between physician and technologist play a part in the patient care network on a micro and macro level.