Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Valley Children’s provides a comprehensive array of laboratory-based services for infants, children, adolescents, and adults. We specialize in performing testing on the smallest possible sample sizes in order to limit the amount of blood taken from a patient at any one time and across the duration of the patient's stay. The Department is staffed by approximately 100 team members, including pathologists, clinical laboratory scientists and laboratory support technicians (phlebotomists and processing specialists) and performs over 900,000 tests per year, including over 13,000 surgical, autopsy, and cytology cases.

The clinical and anatomic laboratories are nationally accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and are licensed by the California State Department of Health Services. The transfusion service is accredited by AABB and is registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Laboratory services are provided for both hospitalized patients (inpatients) and outpatients, including those seen by on-campus practices and private physician practices throughout the Central Valley.

Outpatient laboratory services are provided through the Outpatient Laboratory, located on the second floor at the east end of Valley Children’s Hospital. Services are available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed on Saturday and Sunday). To schedule an appointment with the Outpatient Lab, please call 559-353-6062.

Services Offered

The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine includes the following laboratories

• Anatomic and surgical pathology
• Clinical laboratory:
  • Core Laboratory:  includes hematology, coagulation, urinalysis, chemistry, blood gas analysis
  • Transfusion service
  • Flow cytometry
  • Microbiology
  • Molecular biology
  • Point of care testing

Other services include

• A comprehensive referral testing department, staffed with individuals who specialize in finding sources for estoteric laboratory tests that are unavailable locally.
• Pediatric phlebotomy, performed by State-certified phlebotomists with extensive post-certification pediatric training and experience, in order to minimize specimen collection pain and to meet the special needs of pediatric patients.
• A regional provider of sweat chloride testing, a test used to help in the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis.

Clinical Laboratory Scientist Training Program

We have detailed information available on the Clinical Laboratory Scientist Training Program which is generally offered yearly at Valley Children's.

Contact Us

• Phone:  559-353-6062 (Client Services)