Pathology

In line with current COVID-19 restrictions, patients are asked to attend outpatient appointments alone.

A support person may only attend under exceptional circumstances, when it is not safe or practical for a patient to attend alone.

If you have any questions about attending your appointment, please contact with you care team for advice.

Cabrini Pathology was the first pathology service established in a Victorian private hospital in 1958. Our laboratory now employs over 100 staff, either working within the laboratory or as part of the collection service.

Our primary focus is the provision of a quality diagnostic service to Cabrini inpatients and onsite consultants, with the laboratory providing expertise in Biochemistry, Blood Bank Serology, Cytology, Haematology, Histology, Immunology, Microbiology and Serology.

For over 30 years the pathology service has been successfully operated in partnership with Melbourne Pathology and makes a significant financial contribution to the revenue of Cabrini Health which is then reinvested in patient services and facilities.

Cabrini Pathology’s laboratory service includes:

• Onsite routine and emergency diagnostic testing for inpatients and outpatients
• All areas of pathology testing
• Rapid turnaround time for most routine pathology results
• Direct clinical consultations available for interpretation and advice on results

General services include:

• Pathology services to all Cabrini campuses
• Results available in a range of formats including electronic download and fax
• Home visiting service for specimen collection
• Preoperative testing up to 28 days prior to surgery

Most tests have no special requirements, however a small number of tests need an appointment or special instructions to be followed.

>> Patient pre-testing information

>> Tips on preparing your child for a blood test

Certain tests require that you stay at the collection centre for a longer period.

• Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) – 2 hours
• Glucose Challenge Test (GCT) – 1 hour

For most tests, no appointment is required, however some tests require an appointment prior to attendance.

• Holter Monitor
• Blood Pressure Monitor
• Synacthen Test

For further information please contact us on (03) 9508 1434.

Tests that require fasting

The following tests require a patient to have fasted prior to collection of the sample:

• Lipid testing including cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL/LDL
• Glucose and GTT
• Growth hormone
• Fasting Insulin

Fasting instructions

To ensure reliable and accurate test results, it is important that you follow these instructions carefully if you are having a fasting test.

• Nothing to eat or drink (other than water) for at least 8-12 hours.
• Plain water consumption is acceptable and encouraged to ensure good hydration.
• Tea, coffee and soft drinks must not be consumed during the fasting period.
• Smoking should be avoided.
• If you have fasted for longer than 15 hours, we may need to consider rescheduling your test as prolonged fasting can affect some results.
• If you are a diabetic or taking medication for any other condition, please consult your doctor before fasting.

Additional patient information

Designed for the Australian healthcare consumer for reliable and up to date information on pathology tests, refer to the website Lab Tests on LineAU.

http://www.labtestsonline.org.au/

The billing procedure for pathology testing is a complex process that is dependent on a number of variables including whether the test is fully rebatable by Medicare and whether it needs to be referred to another laboratory.

We aim to be fair and reasonable with our fee structure. Fees are set as low as possible within the bounds of providing a high quality, comprehensive pathology service. You should be aware that you may be charged an out-of-pocket fee depending on the tests your doctor has ordered for you.

Please click on the links below to view our fee information for inpatients and collection centre patients.

>> Cabrini Pathology: During your hospital stay

>> Cabrini Pathology: Billing policy