Pathology tests take different lengths, depending where they’re sent
By GILLIAN SLADE on December 5, 2020.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade While pathology tests processed in Medicine Hat are being handled in a timely manner, those sent to Calgary are taking longer than usual. Dr. William Taylor, a local dermatologist, says his tests go to Calgary and it has been taking up to two months for results. It has recently come down to about one month, but he says two weeks used to be the normal. A spokesperson for Alberta Health Services says the turnaround time in Medicine Hat is well within the target range of four to six business days and the longest is about seven days. More complex cases that require additional study and consultation can take longer. Specialized tests that are referred to Calgary or Edmonton are typically performed within two weeks, the spokesperson said. “Sometimes an individual’s test can take longer if there have been delays in transportation or if their sample misses a test run, as some of these tests are only completed once per week,” the AHS spokesperson said. Taylor says the delays are “less than desirable” but none of his patients have been in “jeopardy” as a result of the longer wait times. Southlands Medical Clinic does not usually receive a pathology report within a week. “Most of the time when a patient comes to the clinic for suture removal, the pathology report is not yet available. However, when elective surgeries were cancelled in the spring, we noticed pathology reports were coming back a lot faster,” said Dr. Donovan Nunweiler. A slight delay is not necessarily a problem. “I am OK with the wait time on pathology reports as I do not think a few extra weeks makes a difference in treatment outcomes (although it might cause some anxiety for the patient in waiting for an answer),” said Nunweiler. 11-10
