Laboratory Services

Laboratory Medicine

Labrador-Grenfell Health’s Laboratory Medicine Departments are staffed by highly trained, dedicated professionals who collect samples and perform specialized tests that help diagnose and treat disease.  

Laboratory staff provide accurate and timely results vital to medical decisions about your health. These tests are performed on blood, body fluids, swabs and tissue samples using complex analyzers and state of the art equipment. 

Labrador-Grenfell Health laboratories have achieved and maintained full accreditation through the Institute for Quality Management and Healthcare (IQMH).  This accreditation is an international mark of excellence and is a formal recognition of a healthcare facility’s capability to perform medical testing or the collection of specimens.  It also provides facilities with the tools they need to standardize their processes, address diminishing resources and set a quality benchmark that ensures patient safety and quality.

Labrador-Grenfell Health operates laboratories in the following locations:

  • Charles S. Curtis Memorial Hospital – St. Anthony
  • Labrador Health Centre – Happy Valley-Goose Bay
  • Labrador West Health Centre – Labrador City
  • Strait of Belle Isle Health Centre – Flower’s Cove
  • White Bay Central Health Centre – Roddickton
  • Labrador South Health Centre – Forteau

Specimen collection centres are located across the Labrador-Grenfell Health region (within 14 community clinics sites) allowing clients to have routine testing collected without having to travel out of their community.

A variety of tests are performed in the areas of the medical laboratory. Some common procedures include the following:

  • Blood glucose (blood sugar) to diagnose diabetes
  • Bacterial cultures to diagnose infection such as Strep throat and Urinary Tract Infections
  • Complete Blood Counts(CBC) to detect anemia and infections
  • Blood compatibility testing to ensure safe blood transfusions
  • Cervical screening tests such as PAP smears to detect cervical cancer
  • Prenatal screening to assess fetal and maternal health
  • Biopsy’s of organs and tissues to detect abnormal cells such as cancer