5 Essential Qualities a Pathological Laboratory Should Have

When it comes to the study of a particular disease or health condition, pathology laboratories play an important role. Pathologists collect samples and then conduct tests to identify the cause of a disease or health condition. Whenever you visit a doctor, he may prescribe some tests like blood tests, stool tests, urine tests, etc.

Before you knock on the door of a laboratory, you must consider a few factors to ensure their credibility in the field. Remember, an incorrect lab report can lead to wrong treatment and hence you need to find a reputable pathology lab to get your job done properly. In this article, we will highlight some essential qualities that a pathology lab should have.

1. Accreditations/Certifications

Accreditation or certification is one of the most important things that a reputable lab should have. If you are looking for a pathological lab, make sure it comes with outstanding accreditation. ISO 9001 is one of the most important accreditations you can ask for.

In some cases, doctors ask patients to get the tests done at an ISO 9001 certified lab. If you have got your tests done from an outstanding accredited laboratory, the test report will be accepted by everyone.

2. Expertise 

There is nothing wrong with knocking on the door of an expert. Expertise is one of the indispensable qualities you must look at when selecting a lab. Now the question is that how would you learn if the lab you have chosen is a reputable one or not.

For this, you have to consult others who have already approached the lab in past for pathology tests. You can also visit independent websites where patients share their personal experiences with most of the laboratories in your area.

3. Facilities 

Now come to another important part. The pathology lab should have all the necessary equipment, machinery, and technical staff who can perform various types of tests. Before you contact a laboratory, you have to collect information about the tests done there. The lab technician working for the lab must be qualified and experienced.

The pathology lab should have an adequate number of skilled technicians and lab assistants who can manage tasks like collect samples, operating machines, conducting tasks, and preparing reports. 

A reputable clinical lab should provide services like hematology, biochemistry, urine analysis, clinical pathology, serology, coagulation studies, infectious disease markers, tumor markers, therapeutic drug monitoring, and many more.     

4. Report Management 

Report management varies from one laboratory to another and it remains an important factor in the hunting process. Efficient report management is a quality of a reputable lab and you must not ignore it. The way by which a lab handles the test reports distinguishes is it from other labs. The reports must be accurate and get delivered within the assured period of time.

Another thing that you should keep in mind here is that reputable labs always maintain the confidentiality of their clients’ test reports. Hence, accuracy and on-time delivery are some of the most important qualities that you must find in a lab before making the final decision.

5. Client-Centric Service 

The way a laboratory treats its clients ensures its reputation in the field. The lab you have chosen should take care of each patient properly. The lab must have a “sample collect from” service, which is very important for those patients who cannot reach the lab for some valid reasons.

Apart from this, the lab should provide client-centric facilities like online booking, on-call sample collection, multiple payment options, efficient customer care, notifications, etc. People love to visit those labs that take care of the patients and make everything simple and hassle-free for them.

So, these are the qualities that a reputable laboratory should have. If you are looking for the best pathology lab in your area, never forget to check their accreditation, expertise, service variants, report management, and cost. By considering all these points you will be able to make an informed choice.