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Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

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    Contact Person：葉先生       Data Source：Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine       Contact Information：ccyeh@vghks.gov.tw       

    The Histopathology Division primarily consists of three operational units: Histopathology, Electron Microscopy Laboratory, and Autopsy Room.

    Department Introduction
    Division of Cellular Pathology Cervical smear examination is one of the primary tasks of the cytopathology department. Additionally, sputum, urine, body fluids, various brush specimens, and fine needle aspiration specimens are all part of the department’s daily work. Simply put, the role of the cytopathology department is to stain collected cell smears and perform microscopic screening to observe all cells in the smears, identifying any abnormal cells or infectious agents. This highlights that the department's main function is screening—detecting abnormal cases among asymptomatic patients and providing both patients and doctors with a basis for immediate diagnosis and treatment. Moving forward, the department will continue striving to uphold the founding mission of Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, enhance medical standards in southern Taiwan, and serve the people of the region.
    Division of Molecular Pathology

    The Division of Molecular Pathology has been at the forefront of personalized medicine since 2009, offering advanced molecular genetic testing to support individualized cancer treatment and the management of genetic disorders. With a growing portfolio of 13 molecular tests, including cancer-related gene analyses, hematology genetic tests, and hereditary genetic screenings, our department is committed to delivering precise diagnostic tools that enhance patient care.

    Accredited by the Taiwan Society of Pathology since 2010 and recognized by the Taiwan Accreditation Foundation (TAF) since 2016, our laboratory adheres to the highest standards of quality and reliability. By continuously engaging in both domestic and international proficiency testing, we ensure the accuracy of our tests and are dedicated to improving healthcare outcomes through cutting-edge technology and rigorous quality control processes.

    Looking ahead, our division will continue to expand its testing services, striving to provide comprehensive, high-quality, and standardized molecular pathology examinations. We remain steadfast in our mission to elevate national healthcare standards and offer the best in personalized patient care.
    Division of Clinical Laboratory Medicine The Division of Clinical Laboratory Medicine in Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital consists of 5 main laboratories and a specimen collection center, such as Clinical Chemistry, Serology and Immunology, Clinical Microscopy and Hematology, Blood Transfusion and Outpatient Phlebotomy Laboratory. More than 5000 specimens daily are performed in our laboratories and our test catalogue covers hundreds of tests. It is a large modern laboratory, fully equipped with state-of the art instrumentation. Our laboratory has received ISO15189 accreditation every year since 2007 and was awarded Benchmark Laboratory status by the Taiwan Accreditation Foundation in 2011. To meet the requirements of Taiwan’s hospital accreditation and implement lean laboratory processes, we had to introduce total laboratory automation (TLA) for workflow improvement. In April 2021, the TLA implementation was completed and activated. We have the ability to provide fast and predictable turnaround times with accurate results. We strive to provide our patients with high quality and help diagnose diseases. The Blood Transfusion Laboratory operates 24 hours seven days per week for 365 days every year in order to better serve our patients. It has implemented an electronic blood transfusion (Electronic Blood Tracking system) that has improved transfusion quality by reducing manual process errors since February 1992. Our Emergency Laboratory is equipped to handle emergency requirements and provides rapid turnaround times with accurate results for critical tests needed in emergency situations.
    Division of Microbiology

    The Microbiology Division of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Diagnosis at Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital has a strong partnership with the Division of Infectious Disease and Infection Control unit, working together as an integrated medical team. This collaboration fosters continuous advancements in innovative diagnostic technologies to meet clinical diagnostic and infection control needs, effectively enhancing patient safety.

    We were the first to identify and publish the first case reports on several infectious diseases in Taiwan, including Streptococcus suis meningitis, melioidosis, cholera caused by Vibrio cholera O139, human metapneumovirus, human paraechovirus, influenza C virus, parainfluenza type 4, and Aichi virus.

    In 2020, we developed an intelligent antibiotic management system, and implemented hospital-wide, a knowledge-based, active-delivery clinical decision support system, named RAPID (Real-time Alert for antimicrobial Prescription from virtual Infectious Diseases experts), which significantly reduced the time to administering effective antibiotics to patients with bacteremia. Notably, during non-office hours, the time from symptom onset to treatment initiation was reduced from 6.4 hours to 2.2 hours, earning multiple national awards.

    In recent years, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in microbiological testing has led to the development of advanced image recognition technologies, which are now being applied to improve pathogen identification.

    Beyond diagnostics, we actively contribute to missions in epidemic prevention. As a designated testing facility of the Centers for Disease Control, Taiwan (TCDC), we handle emerging infectious diseases testing for Kaohsiung City, Kaohsiung Port, and Kaohsiung International Airport. Over the years, we also have the capability of testing for Zika virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), COVID-19, and novel influenza strains, maintain our role as a key testing center for emerging infectious diseases in Taiwan, to safeguard Taiwan’s public health. Additionally, we have been accredited by TCDC for 24 infectious disease testing items, and since 2007, have received certification for 42 items from the National Accreditation Foundation, demonstrating our recognized expertise and testing capabilities.

    Our laboratory is structured into six specialized units: Bacteriology, Serology, Mycology, Virology, Mycobacteriology, and Molecular Biology. To maintain biosecurity standards for handling various pathogens, we have operated two Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories since July 2005, designated for virus and tuberculosis testing. These facilities also provide biosecurity training and specialized operational internships for students in medical technology programs.

     

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