Lab Services
It has been estimated that 70 percent of medical decisions involve lab testing. Recognizing the importance of lab services in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and the role it plays in the patient experience, Dignity Health – Cancer Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center has its own convenient on-site laboratory. This lab exclusively serves the specific needs of the cancer institute with a dedicated workflow which means no long waiting for results, and in some cases you get results the same day.
Our lab is certified by The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) and holds a CLIA license. We are also accredited by the College of American Pathologists and meets or exceeds all state and federal requirements.
When Are Lab Services Needed
We are committed to providing outstanding pathology and laboratory quality and testing services to our patients and caregivers in:
- Diagnosis of cancer
- Treatment of cancer
- Progress reporting
- Treatment regimen maintenance
- Blood draws
- Specimen collection
What Are The Benefits of Onsite Lab Services
Our convenient location makes it possible for us to have a very involved pathology group that’s always available to the cancer institute clinicians. We have pathologists that work closely with the clinicians as a part of our multidisciplinary approach. Additionally, our onsite lab:
- Facilitates multidisciplinary communication
- Faster reporting of results
- Increased convenience
- Improved accuracy
- Better patient experience
We offer onsite cytogenetic and FISH testing, where we’re looking at DNA markers that are specific for cancer diagnoses. That’s something some clinical laboratories don’t have and we’re doing it onsite.”
Tonnie McBroom
Laboratory Services Manager
