Our history
St John of God Pathology WA - yesterday and today
Yesterday
The Sisters of St John of God founded St John
of God Pathology in the mid-1930s to provide pathology services to
our Subiaco Hospital. The founding Sister was Sister Philomena
Earle.
A five-storey building was constructed
for pathology at the Subiaco Hospital. The first pathologist, Dr
Ray Joyce, joined the department together with six Sisters, who
were trained as scientists. Sister Philomena and Sister Josepha
Lovett also set up a pathology department at our former St John of
God Hospital in Rivervale.
St John of God Pathology became a division of
the St John of God Health Care System in July 1993, which was
facilitated by the merger of various St John of God Hospital
Pathology laboratories and St Anne's Mercy Hospital Pathology. The
acquisition of Perth Pathology Service in 1997 resulted in
significant expansion into the community.
Early days of Pathology in
Subiaco
hospital basement Sr
Philomena Earl
Today
St John of God Pathology WA employs more
than 540 staff and operates six laboratories across metropolitan
and regional areas. Our core laboratory is located in Osborne Park
with satellite laboratories at our Hospitals in Subiaco, Murdoch,
Bunbury and Geraldton, as well as at Mercy Hospital in Mount
Lawley.
Laboratories are equipped with the latest in
technology and connected by a live computer network. Additionally
we operate 55 collection centres, an extensive courier service
and domiciliary service.
We currently provide services to 14 acute,
pyschiatric/drug and alcohol, and rehabilitation hospitals (with a
total of 2,001 beds) in Western Australia, Victoria, and New South
Wales. The complex pathology handled from the inpatient and
specialist referrals has resulted in a high level of expertise
among our staff.
Services also extend to the corporate sector
with clients such as insurance companies, occupational health
physicians, mining and construction companies regularly referring
patients.
St John of God Pathology, as a division of St
John of God Health Care, is committed to reaching out to
people experiencing disadvantage to improve health and well being
via Social Outreach and Advocacy
services and programs.