For Patients
Pathologists and departments of pathology and laboratory medicine are generally not well known to the public, despite the fact that almost all diagnoses and therapies depend on the quality and accuracy of the anatomic and clinical pathology laboratories. It has been said that the pathologist is "behind the diagnosis, before the therapy." The patients and physicians of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have the advantage of one of the finest pathology and laboratory medicine departments in the nation. The most advanced instrumentation is available, but more importantly, outstanding skill and expertise is the department standard.
Our 30 pathologists are certified by the American Board of Pathology, and some have two and even three subspecialty certifications. Patients are ensured that all tests and procedures and all diagnoses are performed by true authorities. The renown of our pathologists is evident in the many consultations submitted from pathologists at other institutions, both in the United States and abroad. Cedars-Sinai's pathologists are invited speakers at medical schools and scientific meetings throughout the world. In the last decade, they have contributed to more than 500 scientific publications and numerous chapters in textbooks, and they have authored six texts. In addition, the clinical laboratory scientists (or medical technologists) who staff the laboratories have the same degree of excellence and experience. Many are leaders in their special areas, with regional and national reputations.
Although most of the contributions of the pathologists and technical staff of the laboratories is not directly known to the patient, the department does interact in a number of important ways, including therapeutic pheresis, fine needle aspiration biopsy and bone marrow biopsy. The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine is also responsible for the Rita and Taft Schreiber Blood Donor Facility, where blood and blood products are obtained from family and friends of patients, as well as countless community donors.
