Laboratory Services
Seattle Children's Department of Laboratories provides cutting edge laboratory and pathology services for pediatric patients in the Pacific Northwest and outside our region. The laboratory offers many specialized tests designed to address unique pediatric diseases.
Procedures have been specially adapted or developed for the pediatric patient. Reference ranges are age appropriate, reflecting the influence of growth and development.
Use our lab test lookup tool to find specific information about lab tests including test collection information, processing instructions, turnaround time, reference ranges and more.
We also offer consultation in test selection and result interpretation. The pathologist, doctoral scientist and technologist staff is always available.
Laboratory Team
- Joe Rutledge, MD, Director
- Kathleen Patterson, MD, Division Head, Anatomic Pathology
- Rhona Jack, PhD, Division Head, Clinical Chemistry, Associate director of biochemical genetics laboratory
- Kent Opheim, PhD, Division Head, Cytogenetics
- Xuan Qin, PhD, Division Head, Microbiology
- Joseph Siebert, PhD, Program Chief, Autopsy Services
- Laura S. Finn, MD, Program Chief, Flow Cytometry and Laboratory Medicine/Pathology Residency Programs
- Raj P. Kapur, MD, PhD, Program Chief, Perinatal Autopsy
- Sihoun Hahn, MD, PhD, Director of Biochemical and Molecular Genetics Laboratory
- Min Xu, MD, PhD, Director of Core Laboratory
- Karen Tsuchiya, MD, Co-Director, Cytogenetics
- Gail Deutsch, MD, Anatomical Pathologist
Accreditation / Licensure
- Accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP #: 24638-01). View certificate.
- CLIA certified with the Department of Health and Human Services (License #: MTS-0187, CLIA #: 50D0631879). View license (PDF 101KB).
Referring Patients for Laboratory Testing
The laboratory performs testing based on requests from persons authorized by law to write laboratory test orders (i.e. Physicians, PAs, and ARNPs).
The laboratory utilizes consistent procedures to ensure appropriate order and specimen receipt, identification, assessment, test order accessioning and accurate billing.
Community providers must provide written orders via a laboratory requisition or a prescription form. Paper orders for laboratory testing will contain the following elements for acceptance:
- Name and address (if outside of Children's) of physician or legally authorized person ordering the test
- Patient identification utilizing at least two unique identifiers (full name and Medical Record Number or Date of Birth)
- Patient sex, when appropriate
- Patient date of birth, when appropriate
- Orders for specific laboratory tests
- Time and date of collection, when appropriate
- Source of specimen, when appropriate
- Clinical information, when appropriate
- Medical Necessity (ICD-9 codes/ diagnosis description) - required
All unclear, vague or illegible orders will be clarified with the ordering provider before acceptance.
If the medical necessity information is absent from the initial written orders, the laboratory will utilize a "fax-back" system including a REQUEST FOR ICD-9 form to clarify orders and/or obtain required information.
If the "add on" phone order is received from a community physician, the form will be "faxed back" for signature and medical necessity information. Phoned orders will be transcribed and read back to verify accuracy.