The Department of Pediatric Laboratory Medicine has opened on October 16th 1985, at the Children's Hospital. The laboratory consists of diagnostic hematology, clinical immuno-chemistry, urinalysis, blood bank and a phlebotomy unit. The laboratory is managed by the head of the department, one team manager, 20 clinical pathology technologists & technicians, and 4 office employees. Approximately three million tests are performed each year.
Major laboratory works are regular blood tests, special blood tests, coagulation tests, routine chemistry tests (I, II), body fluid tests, urinalysis, blood bank tests, and Immuno-serology & hormone tests. Other specialized tests are requested to the department of laboratory medicine in the main hospital of Seoul National University Hospital.
In order to maintain the accuracy and precision, the department of pediatric laboratory medicine has been participating in the internal certification audits in Korea and in the College of American Pathology (CAP) surveys as well to maintain the excellence in quality control.
Recently, under the concept that "tests should be available at any time when doctors need them", we have started a 24 hour rapid testing system from April, 2009, which enables laboratory tests to be done 365 days a year. Available tests are up to 170 items, and test results that were unavailable on weekends, such as serological tests (HBsAg, anti-HIV, anti-HCV, etc.), organ transplant drug tests (Tacrolimus, Cyclosporine, etc. ), hormone and tumor marker tests (T3, T4 (free), TSH, Cortisol, AFP, Ferritin, etc.), are provided 24 hours. The numbers of tests requested from out-patient-department, on weekends, some preoperative or emergency tests are markedly increasing, which lead to high quality of medical care and satisfaction of both patients and doctors. The department of pediatric laboratory medicine is now leading our medical services into world-class level.