As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting high-quality patient care and ensuring the best use of available healthcare resources across the region, we would like to provide some guidance on the scope of the Pathlab Haematopathologist consultation service. We hope this information will assist clinicians in accessing the most appropriate specialist advice and help ensure enquiries are directed through the most suitable pathways.
Pathlab provides a Haematopathologist consultation service through a pool of specialist Haematologists with expertise in laboratory haematology and haematological diagnosis. The role of the Haematopathologist is to provide clinicians with expert advice on the interpretation of haematology laboratory investigations and diagnostic findings. This includes guidance on the significance of laboratory results, diagnostic clarification, and recommendations for further testing where appropriate.
Where advice is required regarding patient treatment, ongoing management, or referral pathways, clinicians should contact the patient’s Clinical Haematologist, the relevant hospital service, or the on-call Haematologist as appropriate.
Examples of when to contact a Pathlab Haematopathologist
Advice may be sought regarding:
- Interpretation of peripheral blood film findings
- Bone marrow aspirate and trephine biopsy results
- Flow cytometry findings
- Cytogenetic and molecular diagnostic results
- Investigation of abnormal blood counts
- Diagnostic clarification of haematological disorders
- Selection and interpretation of specialised haematology investigations
- Recommendations for additional laboratory testing
Access pathway
During business hours
- Contact the Haematopathologist through the Pathlab laboratory using established communication channels.
- Requests should include relevant clinical information, laboratory results, and the specific diagnostic question requiring review.
- Providing adequate clinical context helps ensure timely and accurate advice.
After hours
- Requests should be limited to urgent diagnostic matters that may have an immediate impact on patient care.
- Queries relating primarily to clinical management should be directed to the on- call Clinical Haematologist through the appropriate hospital service.
- Non-urgent diagnostic enquiries are best managed during normal business hours.
Key principle
The role of the Pathlab Haematopathologist is to provide expert diagnostic and laboratory interpretation advice.
Responsibility for clinical management decisions, including treatment, monitoring, and overall patient care, remains with the treating clinician and/or Clinical Haematology team.
We greatly value the collaborative relationship between Pathlab and primary care clinicians and are committed to providing timely, high-quality diagnostic support to assist in patient care.