SA Pathology's rich history of diagnostic pathology and research started in the late 1930s, as the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science (IMVS).
Strategically located near the old Royal Adelaide Hospital, the IMVS began as an offshoot of the hospital's laboratories during a time when political and community leaders were introducing significant reform with a focus on improving public health.
RAH Superintendent and Dean of Medicine Sir Trent Champion de Crespigny wanted to create an organisation that seamlessly combined laboratory services with pathology training and medical research.
The 1970s saw the IMVS redefine its services, leading to the divisions of Forensic Pathology and Biology relocating and evolving into what is now the Forensic Science Centre.
By the 1980s, the IMVS had forged stronger relationships with the RAH and the University of Adelaide, allowing it to expand into emerging areas of pathology.
A pivotal review during this period led to the creation of the Hanson Institute in 1991, an internationally recognised research partnership between SA Pathology and the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
This represented a significant milestone, fostering collaboration between South Australian medical research organisations and reinforcing the state's position in the global research community.
The IMVS’s transformation continued in 2008 with a merger that included the pathology departments of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and Flinders Medical Centre, and a renaming to SA Pathology.
One of SA Pathology's most notable achievements in recent years was the establishment of the Centre for Cancer Biology (CCB) in 2008, which is an internationally acclaimed cancer research hub that collaborates with pharmaceutical companies to advance new treatments.
The vital role the service plays within our community
SA Pathology is an institution recognised for the highest standards of medical testing and research.
It delivers quality pathology to medical practitioners and public and private hospitals through a linked system of laboratories across the state.
The organisation's importance in the delivery of public health care is underscored by the fact that 70 per cent of all conditions and diseases require pathology diagnostic services to identify and manage, with this figure jumping to 100 per cent for all cancers.
Additionally, it is also the state’s frontline provider for detecting potential pandemics, disease outbreaks and environmental health risks.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, SA Pathology performed close to 6 million COVID-19 PCR tests and established a testing platform that was truly world class, delivering immeasurable health and economic benefit to all South Australians.
In 2023, SA Pathology received more than 3.6 million requests and processed nearly 18 million tests.
SA Pathology boasts more than 250 elite medical researchers focused on a wide range of diseases and disorders, including various cancers, bone fractures, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, hepatitis, infectious diseases, and genetic disorders.
Its scientific achievements and commitment to medical research and training underpin its integral role in South Australia’s health system, ensuring public confidence in its services.
SA Pathology also has:
- 18 laboratories which includes eight metropolitan and 10 regional locations
- 123 collection centres which includes 65 metropolitan and 58 regional locations
- six specialist paediatric centres
- a courier network which travels more than one million kilometres a year
- around 75 active research projects
- been widely recognised for its outstanding performance during COVID-19, including the Premier's Award for Excellence in Health and Dr Geoffrey Higgins and Mark Turra being appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Kings Birthday Honours 2024.
For more information, visit SA Pathology.
