Laboratory Medicine

North York General Hospital's Laboratory Medicine Department conducts lab tests efficiently and quickly to assist physicians in diagnosing patients' conditions. Our full service laboratory at the General site enables us to provide approximately 1.6 million tests annually.

An expert team of pathologists, microbiologist, clinical chemist, technologists, technicians, phlebotomists, pathologists' assistants, laboratory information system analysts and clerical staff serve our hospital 24 hours a day, every day. These professionals provide diagnostic, screening and monitoring tests for inpatients, outpatients and long-term care residents. Over 100 highly trained individuals work in our laboratories. 

The Outpatient Laboratory operates Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m., serving patients from all clinics within the hospital. 
Note: North York General's outpatient laboratory is no longer accepting requisitions from community physicians.

Patient experience

The compassionate professionals in Laboratory Medicine understand that waiting for laboratory results can be stressful. We provide emergency and rapid response testing quickly, to meet the needs of patients and physicians. Emergency laboratory service is offered 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Our facilities

We perform testing on state-of-the art equipment in our modern facilities at the General site. Modern analyzers enable us to conduct lab tests more efficiently and quickly. Because of their greater capacity, turn around time is improved and we can get results out to doctors faster. Specimens get to the laboratory rapidly — they are put in a protective container and placed into a pneumatic tube system where they travel non-stop to the laboratory within minutes.

The laboratory information system interfaces with the hospital information system. This permits physicians who have ordered tests (for example a surgeon or obstetrician) to view test results on any patient unit. Results are faxed or mailed to North York General Hospital affiliated family physicians. We keep the physicians involved in the care of our patients and well informed about their health to support them in providing continuous, quality patient care.