Laboratory Services

Seattle Children’s Department of Laboratories provides cutting-edge laboratory and pathology services for pediatric patients in the Pacific Northwest and outside our region. The laboratory offers many specialized tests designed to address unique pediatric diseases.

Procedures have been specially adapted or developed for the pediatric patient. Reference ranges are age-appropriate, reflecting the influence of growth and development.

We provide services at our hospital campus in Seattle and at Seattle Children’s Bellevue Clinic and Surgery Center, Seattle Children’s North Clinic in Everett, Seattle Children’s South Clinic in Federal Way and Seattle Children’s Olympia Clinic.

Use our online test catalog to find specific information about lab tests, including test collection information, processing instructions, turnaround time, reference ranges and more.

We also offer consultation in test selection and result interpretation. The pathologist, doctoral scientist and technologist staff are always available.

Lab Test Lookup

Referring Patients for Laboratory Testing

The laboratory performs testing based on requests from persons authorized by law to write laboratory test orders (i.e., physicians, PAs and ARNPs).

The laboratory utilizes consistent procedures to ensure appropriate order and specimen receipt, identification, assessment, test order accessioning and accurate billing.

Community providers must provide written orders via a laboratory requisition or a prescription form. Paper orders for laboratory testing will contain the following elements for acceptance:

• Name and address (if outside of Seattle Children's) of physician or legally authorized person ordering the test
• Patient identification utilizing at least two unique identifiers (full legal name and date of birth or SCH medical record number)
• Patient sex, when appropriate
• Orders for specific laboratory tests
• Medical necessity (ICD-10 codes) – required
• Clinical information, when appropriate
• Time and date of collection, when appropriate
• Source of specimen, when appropriate

All unclear, vague or illegible orders will be clarified with the ordering provider before acceptance.

If the medical necessity information (ICD-10 code) is absent from the initial written orders, the laboratory will utilize a "fax-back" system including a Request for ICD-10 Code form to obtain this required information.

Any verbal orders received from community physicians will be documented on a “Phone Request for Testing” form, the orders read back to verify accuracy, and the form “faxed back” for provider signature and ICD-10 coding. 

Add-on testing orders may be faxed directly to our Lab (with “ADD-ON” clearly noted on the order itself) or community physicians may also utilize our Request for Additional Testing form, fully complete the form, and fax it to our Lab add-on fax.  Our Lab is required to notify your office if the add-on testing cannot be performed.

Faxing your lab order

• New collection orders: Fax 206-985-3193 (see Exceptions below)
  • Exceptions (scheduled procedure orders): Fax 206-985-3124 for tests that require a scheduled appointment: Sweat Chloride, Oral Glucose Tolerance, Breath Tolerance or Platelet Aggregation.
• Add-on orders: Fax 206-987-2631

Payment Options for Laboratory Services

Patient insurance billing

• Please provide complete insurance billing information including a copy of the patient's card.
• We are unable to bill Medicare unless the patient is an established Seattle Children's patient.
• We are unable to bill state Medicaid outside of Washington, Alaska, Idaho or Montana.

Patient self-pay

• Check or credit card information must accompany sample.
• You may qualify for financial assistance. Learn more about our program or talk with a financial counselor at 206-987-3333.

Institutional billing

• Please provide complete institutional billing information.
• Please email Client Services or call 206-987-2617 with any billing questions or concerns.