Clinical services
Laboratory & Pathology Services
A 24-hour hospital laboratory covering biochemistry, haematology, microbiology, serology, cytology and histopathology, with internal quality control and direct calling of critical results to the treating doctor.
What the laboratory does
Roughly two out of every three clinical decisions taken in a hospital rest on a laboratory result. A haemoglobin decides whether a patient is transfused, a creatinine decides an antibiotic dose, a platelet count decides whether a dengue patient goes home or stays. The laboratory's job is to make sure those numbers are right.
The SIMS laboratory runs continuously, seven days a week, because the emergency department and intensive care units generate work at every hour. Sample collection, processing and reporting follow written standard operating procedures, with internal quality control run on each analytical shift and participation in external quality assessment.
Reports are issued digitally and, for admitted patients, are visible to the treating team as soon as they are authorised — which removes the delay of a report travelling on paper between floors.
Laboratory disciplines
Biochemistry
Blood sugar, HbA1c, kidney and liver function, lipid profile, electrolytes, thyroid profile, cardiac markers, arterial blood gases and hormone assays.
Haematology
Complete blood count, peripheral smear, ESR, coagulation studies including PT/INR and APTT, and anaemia workup including iron studies and vitamin B12.
Microbiology
Culture and sensitivity of blood, urine, sputum, pus and body fluids; Gram stain and AFB staining; and antibiogram data that guides the hospital's antibiotic stewardship programme.
Serology & immunology
Dengue, typhoid, malaria, hepatitis B and C, HIV, scrub typhus and other infection markers, along with autoimmune and inflammatory profiles.
Histopathology
Examination of tissue removed at surgery or biopsy, which establishes whether a lump is benign or malignant and provides the staging information cancer treatment depends on.
Cytology & FNAC
Fine needle aspiration cytology of thyroid, breast, lymph node and soft-tissue swellings, plus fluid cytology and cervical Pap smears.
Fasting requirements
Fasting means no food and no tea, coffee, milk or juice. Plain water is allowed and, in the Anantapur summer, is actively encouraged — a dehydrated patient is harder to draw blood from and some results shift. Follow your doctor's instruction where it differs from this general guide.
| Test | Fasting needed | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Fasting blood sugar | 8–10 hours | Come early in the morning; take your diabetes medicine after the sample, not before |
| Post-prandial blood sugar | Exactly 2 hours after a meal | Note the time you started eating, not the time you finished |
| Lipid profile (cholesterol) | 9–12 hours | Avoid alcohol and heavy or oily food for 24 hours before |
| Liver and kidney function | Not usually required | Fasting may be asked for if combined with a lipid or sugar test |
| HbA1c | Not required | Reflects three months of sugar control, so a single meal makes no difference |
| Thyroid profile | Not required | Take the sample before the morning thyroid tablet where possible |
| Complete blood count | Not required | Can be taken at any time of day |
| Urine routine | Not required | Use the first morning sample where possible; midstream, in a clean container |
Indicative report turnaround
Emergency and inpatient samples are prioritised. These timings are a general guide for routine outpatient work — confirm the expected time for your test at the collection counter.
| Category | Usual turnaround |
|---|---|
| Emergency and critical-care panels | Within about an hour of the sample reaching the laboratory |
| Routine biochemistry and haematology | Same day |
| Serology and infection markers | Same day to next day |
| Culture and sensitivity | 48–72 hours, with preliminary growth reported earlier |
| Cytology and FNAC | Two to three working days |
| Histopathology | Several working days, longer if special stains are required |
Safeguards on every sample
- Two identifiers checked against the patient before any sample is drawn
- Sample tubes labelled at the bedside, not later at a counter
- Rejection criteria applied for clotted, haemolysed, insufficient or wrongly labelled samples — a repeat draw is safer than a wrong result
- Internal quality control run on each analytical shift, with external quality assessment for verification
- Results outside defined critical limits telephoned directly to the treating doctor, with the call and the recipient recorded
- Reports authorised by a qualified pathologist before release
Collection at home can be arranged on request for elderly patients, post-operative patients, those with limited mobility and families managing a chronic condition. Availability depends on distance from the hospital and the type of test, since some samples must reach the laboratory within a fixed time. Ask at the laboratory counter or through the appointment desk to check whether your area and your tests are covered.
Common questions
My report shows a value outside the reference range. Should I be worried?
Not necessarily. Reference ranges describe the middle 95 percent of a healthy population, so a mildly abnormal figure can be normal for you, and a value inside the range can still be abnormal for your situation. Results are interpreted alongside your symptoms, examination and previous readings. Take the report to the doctor who ordered it rather than searching for the number online.
Why does the laboratory sometimes ask for a repeat sample?
Usually because the sample was clotted, haemolysed, insufficient in volume, or collected in the wrong tube — all of which can produce a misleading result. Repeating the draw is inconvenient, but reporting a wrong potassium or a wrong haemoglobin is dangerous. The laboratory will not report a result it cannot stand behind.
Can I get tests done without an appointment?
Yes, routine sample collection is available on a walk-in basis during collection hours, and round the clock for emergency and inpatient work. Bring the doctor's prescription. For fasting tests, come in the morning before eating.
Can I use test results from another laboratory?
Yes, and you should bring them. Previous results establish a trend, which is often more useful than a single value. Where a decision such as surgery, transfusion or chemotherapy depends on a result, the treating consultant may repeat a specific test here for confirmation.
Not sure which department you need?
Share your symptoms and the appointment desk will route you to the right consultant. For anything sudden or severe, do not wait for a callback — come to the emergency department.