| Services
The services offered by the department of pathology & laboratory medicine are completely supportive of, and totally in agreement with, the central Lexington Medical Center (LMC) creed of medical services dedicated to individualized patient care, keeping always in mind the rights and desires of the individual patient and his/her family.
Just as the quality of a hospital depends upon the leadership of its Board, President, and other leaders, the quality of a hospital service is a result of its leadership. Under the leadership of an expert pathology group, aided by the non-physician leadership team, the LMC Lab offers a full range of services which provide fast, accurate information for diagnosis and treatment decisions 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The main lab also supports the testing from all LMC-owned ambulatory care sites, physician offices, occupational health service, LMC Respiratory Therapy, and some of the midlands independent physician offices.
In addition to maintaining full compliance with 6 agencies (JCAHO, AABB, FDA, OSHA, CLIA, DHEC), our lab has been continuously accredited by the College of American Pathologists (a voluntary premier accreditation status) since 1978.
Lab and Pathology Charges to Patients
Patients are billed for lab test charges by LMC, its community centers, its doctors offices, or rarely by specialty reference labs.
Surgical pathology and cytology charges may be billed in two ways.
We regret that we are not always able to contract with each insuror which has contracted with your doctor or Lexington Medical Center. Please know that we are committed to working with any patient's special situation.
LMC may bill for technical processing expenses which are based on the costs of consumable supplies, hospital space, employees, and equipment. When certain specimens are forwarded for testing or consults on a patient’s behalf, the reference lab or consultant may bill for their services; and LMC may bill for specimen mailing/shipping and handling. In any instance of the pathologists paying for consultation or shipping and handling on a patient’s behalf, their business may bill to recover costs. By their membership in this national organization, the pathologists bill professional fees for their diagnostic efforts and interpretation through a contracted billing office: Pathology Service Associates (the branch office in Greenwood, S.C.). Pathology Service Associates specializes in pathology billing and other pathology group services. The most common problem that Pathology Service Associates runs into is an incorrect "responsible party" (patient or parent or spouse of patient) address or incorrect or insufficient details for filing claims with the patient's insurance program (often information regarding the "responsible party" person's employer, as well as the insurance plan is needed). The front and back of the insurance card should hold this information as well as any special address for claims filing. For updating billing information please call (800-832-5270).
Visit this web site: Pathology Group's Informational Website including how to deal with bills and insurance, and information about autopsies, the coroner system, and medical examiner systems.
The pathology group is contracted by LMC for leadership and management at the same annual fee contracted in 1983. By contractual agreement, there are no pathologist charges for doctor-ordered autopsies.
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