Idaho Transplant Finds a Welcoming Home in DLS and Hawai‘i

When Vicki Sukeena joined Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc. (DLS) in 2014, it was the culmination of a journey more than a decade in the making. Originally from McCall, Idaho, a serene moment atop Maui’s Haleakalā volcano in 2005 sparked visions of moving to the islands, but it wasn’t until both sons graduated from college that she and her husband got serious. She contacted the president of the Hawai‘i chapter of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science, who mentioned Diagnostic Laboratory Services, but it was a random conversation with an aloha-shirt wearing stranger in an Idaho coffee shop that sealed the deal. He was actually a long-time Hawai‘i resident and university professor and, when Vicki brought up her quest for a medical technologist position in the islands, he told her DLS was the premier lab on O‘ahu. She applied shortly after, and DLS offered her not only a job, but a relocation package as well.

“We’re always asking, ‘How can we best work together so that the patient is taken care of?’” 

Coming from 22 years in a large trauma center, Vicki wasn’t sure what to expect on her first day at DLS, but was pleasantly surprised. “People went out of their way to get to know me,” she says. “It was a very easy transition in terms of the move.” As a Supervisor Medical Technologist, she and a colleague manage the company’s 30-plus blood draw stations throughout O‘ahu. Most of her day is spent in the field, commuting among the stations and back to headquarters, a perspective that has given her a unique appreciation for the way DLS’s people work and their commitment to excellence in serving physicians and patients. She oversees 80 employees, often connecting with other departments to accomplish goals. “There’s a lot of give and take,” she says, “and everyone here is open and helpful.” She’s also impressed by the way that collaboration and innovation are applied time and time again to improve efficiency and effectiveness to better serve patients: “We’re always asking, ‘How can we best work together so that the patient is taken care of?’”

The staff Vicki manages are the highlight of her day, because, she says, “They recharge me and give me positive energy.” She’s proud to be part of an extended family, and of the strong relationships they’ve formed. How is DLS different from other places she’s worked? “It’s the way people treat each other with kindness and compassion—that ‘ohana feeling,” she says.

Now in a home that couldn’t be more different from the snow-capped peaks of Idaho, Vicki balances a rewarding career with hiking the Ko‘olau Mountains and snorkeling on her favorite beaches of Lanikai and Mākaha. For others in the field of medical technology considering a job in Hawai‘i, Vicki is quick to recommend the team she loves: “If you want a company that’s committed to excellence, quality and safety, and that really takes care of their people, come to DLS.”