Laboratory Resources & FAQs

You can request lab results through your provider's office. You can also view lab results on MyVirginiaMason or MyChart. 

To see if you have an order in the computer for you, please contact your provider's office or check on MyVirginiaMason or MyChart.

Fasting for a test requires no food or drink, except for water, 12 hours prior to collection.

Some medications can affect test results; ask your doctor if there are any medications that may interfere with the tests they’re ordering. In addition, certain medications are monitored using a laboratory test, and these tests need to be drawn at certain times.

Patient costs vary depending on your insurance. See our billing and insurance information. 

The results will be sent to your provider's office. Check with them on how they will notify you. You may also see results through MyVirginiaMason or MyChart.

If your provider is part of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, the results will be available in your electronic medical record, and a paper copy will be sent to them. For non-Virginia Mason Franciscan Health providers, results will be faxed and mailed to them.

Some tests will be available to your provider within one hour; other tests require seven to 10 days to perform. Most providers' offices request that you contact them if you haven’t received the results when you expected them.

If you would like an additional copy of your results sent to a different provider, when you check in at the lab, give the receptionist the provider's name, organization, fax and phone number.

For patient blood draws and clinic hours, see specific location information.

No appointment is needed for the laboratory. All the clinic lab locations are walk-in. Find a location near you.

Parking arrangements vary by location.

Find laboratory location information.

Your provider determined the laboratory testing was medically necessary at the time of the visit. Our laboratory records indicate the test wasn't performed yet and the portal message is a reminder.

Outside laboratory results are scanned into our medical records and our laboratory information system doesn't sync with scanned records. You can ignore the request, as the orders will expire on the date listed in your message.

Completion of testing is your decision. If you have questions about outstanding tests, please consult with your provider.

Pathology means "the study of disease." Anatomic pathologists are physicians who use a variety of specimen types, including tissue biopsies, organs removed at surgery, and cells acquired for cytological examination (Pap tests, fine needle aspiration of various sites) to make diagnosis. The diagnosis is then shared with your health care team to determine appropriate treatment for you. They work with a team of technical professionals, including histotechnologists, cytotechnologists, pathology assistants, lab assistants and transcriptionists, to manage your specimen efficiently and effectively.

Clinical pathologists are laboratory medicine physicians who ensure high-quality laboratory results for our patients, utilizing a variety of specimen types including: blood, urine, body fluids and cultures to analyze and report to your physician as an important part of reaching a diagnosis. Both anatomic and clinical pathologists are medical doctors who have done residencies in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, or both. Many have subspecialty training in particular areas of pathology as well.

Call your primary care physician or surgeon. They have access to the full report and should be able to answer any questions you may have, or they can contact the pathologist for clarification. We also refer you to the American Cancer Society for additional information about tumors of all types.

An additional resource is the "MyBiopsy" patient information service provided by the College of American Pathologists.