Services

A wide array of functions

UW Health offers many types of clinical laboratory services. Please note not all services are provided at all locations. Services include:

  • Blood count

  • Urinalysis

  • Cholesterol tests

  • Hemoglobin tests

  • Spinal fluid analysis

  • Liver function tests

  • Immunology and allergy testing

  • Diagnostic testing

  • Transfusion medicine

  • Pathology

  • Therapeutic drug monitoring

Lab Test Directory

For information about specimen collection and turnaround times for Stat and routine testing please check:

In Wisconsin: Lab Test Directory

In Illinois: Reference Test Directory

Locations

Here when you need us

UW Health labs are located within our community clinics and provide lab work on-site as part of your routine medical care.

Our hospitals offer lab service 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with most tests performed on-site, allowing our caregivers to provide care to their patients quickly.

Hours for Wisconsin labs

Lab hours vary by location and are listed below. Please note walk-in appointments cannot be accommodated within 15 minutes of closing times.

Laboratory tests requiring blood collection take place during the following times.

To schedule an appointment, call your provider's office or you can use MyChart to self-schedule at many lab locations.

Note that we are not able to accommodate walk-ins within 15 minutes of the closing time.

Hours listed are Monday-Friday unless noted.

The following lab locations are within hospital and urgent care locations. These labs have hours that are different from the other clinics in the same facility.

American Children's Family Hospital

  • Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

  • Fridays: 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

  • Limited walk-in appointments available

East Madison Hospital

  • Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.–4:20 p.m.

  • No walk-in appointments

Union Corners Clinic

  • Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.–4:50 p.m.

  • Saturdays: 8–11:50 a.m.

University Hospital

  • Monday-Thursday: 7 a.m.–5:15 p.m.

  • Fridays: 7 a.m.–4:45 p.m.

  • Saturdays, Sundays and holidays: 8 a.m.–10:45 a.m.

  • Walk-in appointments available

West Towne Clinic

  • Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.–4:50 p.m.

  • Saturdays: 8–11:50 a.m.

Hours for Illinois labs

Laboratory tests requiring blood collection take place during the following times. These times may be different than the overall lab hours.

Note that we are not able to accommodate walk-ins within 15 minutes of the ending time.

Times are Monday-Friday unless otherwise indicated.

The following lab locations are within hospital and immediate care locations and have differing hours.

SwedishAmerican Hospital

  • Monday-Friday: 6 a.m.-4:45 p.m.

  • Saturday: 7 a.m.-noon

Belvidere Hospital

  • Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

  • Saturday: 7 a.m.-noon

N Mulford Rd Immediate Care

  • Monday-Friday: 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

  • Walk-in appointments only:

    • Monday-Friday: 5 p.m.- 7:45 p.m.

    • Saturday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

    • Holidays: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

FAQ

Answers to common questions

Lab tests that are performed as part of your routine care will typically be done on-site at the location where you receive your medical care. Testing that is done as part of a hospitalization or emergency visit will be done through our hospital labs.

If you are asked to get a routine lab test performed outside of an appointment, you may visit any UW Health lab and the results will be added to your chart.

UW Health will follow insurance (payor) requirements when submitting claims for lab services. Due to variations in payor requirements, please contact your insurance provider to clarify lab benefits.

Lab testing will be performed at a UW Health lab when it is possible. This does not mean that your lab will be processed at the same location it was drawn. If lab testing cannot be performed at a UW Health lab, testing will be routed to a UW Health-approved reference lab.

Specialties

Specialty services

Patient test results: Patient lab reports are available internally through Health Link. Please check the electronic record before reaching out to the lab. Reports for referring providers outside of UW Health will be faxed.

Test specification information: Upon request, we will share information regarding test methods, reference intervals and performance specifications.

Phone inquiries: If you have questions regarding what testing is available, specimen requirements, test results or patient report fax requests, please contact us.

Illinois client services: (779) 696-2689, Option 3

Wisconsin client services: (608) 263-7060

Provider resources

Helpful information

Wisconsin

Case/slide reviews are available on all cytologic specimens. Final reports on all consults are issued within 48 hours of receipt.

8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday–Friday
Phone: (608) 263-3205
Fax: (608) 263-6453

UW Health is committed to advancing medical knowledge through research. We are involved in many projects, including clinical studies to test the effectiveness and safety of new therapies and medical devices and to expand scientific and medical knowledge.

The Clinical Laboratories provide laboratory testing for approved research and investigational purposes. For questions, call the laboratory research specialist at (608) 262-5803.

All shipped specimens must be packaged and shipped in compliance with the regulations of the United States Postal Service, Department of Transportation (DOT) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). All shipping requirements must be met prior to shipping.

Refer to the Lab Test Directory for specific requirements.  If you have questions, please call (608) 263-9095.

For general pricing information, please contact UW Health Priceline at (608) 263-1507 or complete the form below.

Contact us

Illinois

Case/slide reviews are available on all cytologic specimens. Final reports on all consults are issued within 48 hours of receipt.

Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Phone: (779) 696-4267
Fax: (779) 696-8863

All shipped specimens must be packaged and shipped in compliance with the regulations of the United States Postal Service, Department of Transportation (DOT) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). All shipping requirements must be met prior to shipping.

Turnaround time

Lab testing turnaround

Turnaround times for stat and routine testing are provided in the Test Directory entries. Stated turnaround times indicate the anticipated time between the time a specimen is received in the performing laboratory until the time a result is released. Testing may be delayed for a variety of reasons that include:

  1. Specimens collected at a UW Health Satellite Lab location must be transported to the performing laboratory for testing or processing if the testing will not be performed at the satellite location.

  2. Equipment failure at testing lab requires transport of specimens routinely done on site to an alternate laboratory.

  3. Failure to include necessary patient identification information on the specimen or the requisition.

  4. Improper specimen container submitted.

  5. Failure to order testing STAT.

Specimen collection

Protocols for proper collection, container types and processing

Specimen collection, container types and processing can affect the quality of the specimen submitted.

Collection information

All specimens submitted to the lab must be properly labeled. Corresponding orders for the tests should be submitted through Health Link or on a paper form. Labels need to be accurate and legible (machine or device printed), and the information must match the patient information on the test order or test form.

All specimens and lab request forms must be labeled with a minimum of two patient identifiers that identically match.

  • Include patient's full name — no nicknames or shortened versions of first name

  • The medical record number is required for all Inpatient specimens

  • The date of birth may be used for outpatient specimens

  • Patient's full name — no nicknames or shortened versions of first name

  • Medical record number, in barcode form if possible (required for all inpatients)

  • Date of birth

  • Ordering source such as nursing unit or clinic name/acronym and location (East, West, etc.)

  • Name of authorized billing provider (Attending MD, NP or PA)

  • Name of ordering provider, if different

  • Specimen collection date and time

  • Collector identification, if specimen is submitted with requisition form

  • Specimen source or other pertinent information needed for testing

  • Test(s) to be performed

  • Reason for testing (ICD-9 code(s) or narrative diagnosis) is required

  • Health Link order must include confirmation of verbal consent

  • Paper request from UW Health location must be accompanied by Diagnostic HIV Test Form, indicating verbal consent was obtained, and signed by ordering provider

  • Clients of UW Health Clinical Labs are responsible for maintaining records of consent as required by their organization policy. Proof of consent is not needed by UW Health Clinical Labs when processing specimen and request from a client laboratory.

In addition to the information listed above, the following is also needed:

  • Address for result report

  • Address for billing

After-hours STAT specimens

UW Health offers clinical lab services 24 hours, 7 days a week for many tests to meet our patients' needs. If there is a need for testing to be completed outside of the routine lab schedule, a pathologist will review and approve when necessary.

Pathology residents are available to discuss stat testing in the following areas:

  • Autopsy services

  • Bone Marrow Lab

  • Flow Cytometry Lab

  • Surgical pathology

  • Toxicology Lab

  • Transfusion services

  • Other testing as needed

Clinical hematology/coagulation consult covers after hours testing in the following areas:

Special Coagulation Lab (Wisconsin only)

To obtain pathology resident approval, the ordering provider should call hospital paging at (608) 262-2122 and ask for the clinical pathology resident on-call.

Accreditations and certifications

View certificates

UW Health hospital-owned clinics are accredited by The Joint Commission, the College of American Pathologists, the American Association of Blood Banks, the American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy and the Food and Drug Administration.

CMS CLIA

Wisconsin facilities

Illinois facilities

CAP

College of American Pathologists

The Joint Commission

Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (organization ID #7656)

Specialty accreditations and registrations

  • ASHI - American Society of Histocompatability and Immunogenetics

  • FACT - Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy

  • FDA - Food and Drug Administration