Welcome to the world of the medical laboratory. It's a world of technology, science, and mystery, where medical laboratory professionals and pathologists find answers to questions that are both routine and miraculous.

In the laboratory, a highly skilled team of pathologists, scientists, technicians and lab assistants work together to solve mysteries and answer the critical questions of medicine. More than 70 percent of medical decisions made by doctors are based on pathology laboratory findings. In fact, the practice of modern medicine would be impossible without the tests performed in the laboratory.

Pathologists and lab staff are the behind-the-scenes backbone of medicine. They are the researchers, investigators, and some say the real heroes of medicine.

Laboratory procedures require an array of complex precision instruments and a variety of automated and electronic equipment. However, people who are interested in helping others are the foundation of a successful laboratory. They must be accurate, reliable, passionate about science and be able to recognise their responsibility for human lives.

For someone who chooses a career as a pathologist or laboratory professional, the exploration and the rewards are endless. (From the American Society for Clinical Pathology (tm)).

Pre Analytical - Data Entry and Specimen Reception Area

In Specimen Reception Area (SRA) you will find the people who register specimens, and the identifying information, and enter them into the laboratory information system. When specimens need to be shared between departments for testing they are prepared here. The people who work here must be accurate and calm, and be able to deal with the busy times of the day when samples are coming in quickly.

Once the specimen is registered the rest of the accompanying information - usually the request forms sent by the referring doctors or collectors - are entered into the computer system. Like all other jobs in pathology, data entry operators must have excellent attention to detail skills coupled with amazing dexterity to enable them to accurately record the data. Their role is crucial to the whole pathology testing operation.

IT Support

Like all modern organisations, Melbourne Pathology depends on its computer technology for all communications. The IT Support team provides troubleshooting assistance for all desktop computers and the telephone system throughout the organisation.

Client IT team

Many test results are sent to doctors using Fetch and Sonic Dx - proprietary application software developed by Sonic Healthcare Ltd which delivers pathology reports electronically to the client's system for review. The Client IT team provide installation and ongoing technical support to general practice and specialist clinics and hospitals using these applications.

Help Desk

The Melbourne Pathology Help Desk provides doctors with a one-stop-shop for all enquiries. This can be anything and everything from ordering stores, obtaining additional results, requesting subsequent tests for patients based on the results of previous tests, lodging complaints and much more. They are the team who understands the meaning of excellence in customer service and they strive to make the experience for the doctor exceed expectations.
Our Help Desk team also answer patient enquiries in addition to internal enquiries from collectors with test collection advice.

Switchboard and Call Centre teams

The Melbourne Pathology switchboard take all general enquiry phone calls from patients, clinicians and the general public. They assist by answering queries and redirecting calls to the appropriate department or person.

The Call Centre take patient enquiries, book home visits for ill and infirm patients and answer calls that divert through from the collection centres when collectors are busy.

The people in their teams have an important role and are the 'voice' of the company, so excellent customer service skills are essential.

Marketing and Communications

The Marketing and Communications team produces all internal and external publications for Melbourne Pathology, and co-ordinate educational activities and events that deliver medical education to doctors and patients. They oversee all patient and clinician communication and information, and look after all internal communication to staff and internal staff events. They also manage and maintain the external website and internal intranet.

Stores Department

This department co-ordinates the purchase and distribution of consumables for the practice. As a central service, they co-ordinate the ordering, processing and distribution of all supplies for all internal laboratories and collection centres.

Business Development team

Our Business Development Managers are dedicated to ensuring the needs of our referring clinicians are met and exceeded. Our Business Development team are split into General Practice and Specialist Managers who look after their clinicians to ensure a high quality service at all times.

Accounts and Payroll

Human resource support, accounting, payroll, paying bills, auditing, it's all in a days work for the Accounts team. The team provides all accounting services including accounts payable and receipting. The payroll team processes salaries and wages.

Post Analytical - Results and Warfarin Care

The Results team are responsible for receiving all result enquiries and phoning out urgent results to clinicians and hospitals. Our Warfarin Care team collect, assess, troubleshoot and process data relating to warfarin therapy and INR testing. They report relevant clinical information for the dosing Haematologist to provide warfarin dose instructions. Staff in our Post Analytical Departments require excellent customer service skills and attention to detail.