About Pathology Laboratories, Inc

Established in Toledo, Ohio in 1946, Pathology Laboratories, Inc. (PathLabs) fostered a reputation among the area's private medical practitioners as a provider of prompt, reliable and convenient laboratory testing services.

Its status as a key partner in the delivery of quality medical care to the community was advanced in 1970 when PathLabs became the first independent medical laboratory in Ohio to seek and attain accreditation by the College of American Pathologists - the preeminent laboratory certifying body in the nation. Over the ensuing decades, PathLabs continued its tradition of uncompromising quality, personal service and overall excellence to become the dominant full-service independent medical laboratory in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Since 2004, we have rapidly expanded our operations to other areas of Ohio including Cleveland, Columbus and Lima and their surrounding communities.

Committed to a formal yet dynamic quality assurance program, PathLabs regularly monitors key quality indicators. Significant variations from established performance thresholds are examined and corrective measures implemented, as needed. An extensive regulatory compliance program and compliance review committee have also been formed to assure PathLabs' conformity with all applicable federal, state and local laws and guidelines governing the laboratory industry.

PathLabs employs a contingent of 200+ well-trained personnel working in various administrative, managerial, technical, marketing and support positions. A professional group of pathologists is contracted to provide anatomic and clinical pathology services and medical directorship in all markets currently serviced by PathLabs. Members of the group are also available 24 hours a day for physician consultation.

PathLabs' main testing facility encompasses 20,000 square feet of technical and administrative space. Over 330 separate laboratory procedures are performed on site, with less than 2% of total test volume referred to outside laboratories. PathLabs processes over 50,000 service requests each month through the operation of 50+ patient service centers, the placement of phlebotomists in large clinic and physician group practices, and the dispatch of an extensive courier network to gather clinical, cytology and surgical pathology specimens from nearly 2,000 medical practitioners. The superior quality of PathLabs' work-product is facilitated by the use of state-of-the-art laboratory instrumentation and equipment, computer information systems and multiple electronic interfaces linking them.

In October 2003, PathLabs was acquired as a wholly-owned, self-sustaining subsidiary of Clinical Pathology Laboratories, Inc. (CPL), a large, highly successful, expanding independent medical laboratory headquartered in Austin, Texas. Although PathLabs is experiencing impressive growth as a result of the significant business economies and synergies associated with the partnership, the Company maintains relative autonomy in daily decision making and continues to capitalize on its invaluable "local" identity in the regional markets it serves.

On September 30, 2005, CPL merged with Sonic Healthcare (Sonic) of Sydney, Australia to become a multi-billion dollar, international medical diagnostics company. CPL chose Sonic as a partner because of the many commonalities between the two companies. Those commonalities include a pathology-based approach to clinical testing, an unwavering commitment to service and quality, and a corporate culture of decentralization. CPL, serving as the Southwest Division of Sonic Healthcare USA, Inc., a holding company for Sonic's laboratories operating in the United States, is affiliated with more than 150 independent pathologists in the areas it services. Providing medical practitioners ready access to a pathologist for consultation purposes has been a key element in the ongoing success of both CPL and PathLabs. Sonic's core values, supported by all of its subsidiaries including PathLabs, are presented within this section and our website.

Our philosophy

Our mission is to be the regional leader in the efficient delivery of high-quality, cost-effective medical laboratory services and to continually improve our services to meet our customers' needs, as well as to prosper as a business.

How we accomplish our mission is as important as the mission itself. This is facilitated by the following philosophies:

PEOPLE

Our employees are the source of our strength. They provide our Company intelligence and determine our reputation and vitality. Involvement and teamwork are our core human values.

SERVICES

Our services are the end result of our efforts, and they should be the best available in the industry. As our services are viewed, so are we viewed.

PROFITS

Profits are the ultimate measure of how efficiently we provide clients with the services for their needs. Profits are required to survive and grow.