Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

Laboratory Services, a division of Clinical Services, provides the Medical University of South Carolina with laboratory services for inpatient, outpatient and outreach areas. The Division also serves as the testing site for the State of South Carolina's organ transplant agency. Organ transplants that are offered by the Medical University of South Carolina include: kidney, pancreas, liver, heart, bone marrow, intestinal and cornea.

Inpatient laboratory services are offered on a 24 hour basis in the following sections: Fast Flow Laboratory Laboratory and Transfusion Services. Sections which are staffed on a routine schedule include: Diagnostic Microbiology, Cytogenetics, Molecular Pathology, Special Hematology, Surgical Pathology, Cytopathology, Autopsy Pathology, Special Chemistry, Referral Testing, Outreach and Courier Services (for off campus locations), and HLA. These laboratories, excluding Microbiology and Outreach and Courier Services, provide on-call services for off-shifts. The Fast Flow Laboratory covers stat testing procedures such as cerebrospinal fluid gram staining for off-shift Microbiology samples.

The Operating Room Laboratory, opened 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is located on the fourth floor of the Children's Hospital, in close proximity to the operating rooms and provides a limited test menu to the Operating Rooms and Intensive Care units.

The Frozen Section Laboratory is located on the third floor of the Children’s Hospital and provides stat diagnoses on surgically removed tissues.

The Cytopathology area provides “traveling” fine needle aspirate (FNA) services throughout the Medical Center and satellite areas. This service provides point-of-care diagnoses at the patient’s bedside.

Ashley River Tower (ART) Laboratory, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, is located on the fourth floor of the ART facility. The laboratory is in close proximity to the operating rooms and provides a limited test menu to the ART Operating Rooms and blood gas analysis to various inpatient patient care areas.

Phlebotomy services are provided for Rutledge Towers, ART, Hollings Oncology Center, MUSC Pathology and Laboratory Services at East Cooper and Women’s Health at Cannon Street.

Limited testing is performed on a routine basis at MUSC Pathology and Laboratory Services at East Cooper and the North Charleston Specialty Clinic. These laboratories provide limited testing for outpatients and also serve as phlebotomy sites. Tests ordered and not performed at these sites are transported via courier to Laboratory Services.