Our pathology group bases its private practice (we are not hospital employees) with the Lexington Medical Center laboratory on the first floor of that main hospital building. If you need to expeditiously drop off a biopsy or Pap smear specimen on yourself or another, or pick up slides for a consultation that you are having elsewhere, come to this location on first floor in the hospital. If you are having a specimen drawn or given for a lab test, the outpatient lab can handle this on the ground floor...or use the labs conveniently located at the Community Medical Centers (unless you were specifically told to report to the Main Campus lab at the hospital).

[CHECK US OUT ON THE LEXINGTON MEDICAL CENTER WEBSITE ]

[PHONE: at Lexington Medical Center, Pathology: 803-791-2410]

["Head's-up" phone voice-mail messages to us 24/7/365 @ 803-791-2015]

[7:30AM-6:00PM weekdays on-site; on-call coverage 24/7/365 803-791-2400]

[MAP to PAL's practice location...pending]

Parisian pathologist and clinician Auguste F. Chomel's (1788-1858)...or was it Thomas Sydenham (1624-1689)...fundamental advice to all physicians was primum non nocere (to "first do no harm"). In approaching patients with that dictum in mind, physicians utilize the patient's historical information (the story of their present and past illnesses) and physical examination (the physician using his/her senses toward diagnosis) in order to make a correct diagnosis which becomes the basis for proper treatment.

Modern technology has brought a mind-boggling breadth and depth of technology to extend the physical examination down to the molecular level. Radiologists provide imaging as an extension of the physical exam. Pathologists are involved in diagnostic and leadership (directorate) activities over other types of testing which can be used to amplify both historical and physical examination information. Yet, to fall hastily for every new test or technology reminds us of a quip some have credited to iron-man competitor & expert breast pathologist, Michael D. Lagios: "A fool with a tool is still a fool!" Anatomic pathology all begins and rests on basic & proper execution of skilled & patient-well-being-focused specimen handling, fixation, and sampling in order to arrive at an accurate interpretation of what the patient's physician wants to know.