At Laboratory Medicine, we study the molecular and cellular components of blood and other body fluids. This work is crucial to diagnosing and managing illness and understanding the mechanisms and origins of disease.Our physicians, known as clinical pathologists, provide consultations to other doctors regarding optimal laboratory diagnostic approaches and the interpretation of complex laboratory tests. Our team includes pathologists, scientists, phlebotomists, medical technicians, technologists, and others who perform important support functions for our state-of-the-art laboratory. We are available every day, 24 hours a day, for physicians. We perform approximately 10 million tests each year, and also provide specialized high-tech testing to other hospitals in the Yale New Haven Health System and institutions throughout New England, and as far away as Puerto Rico. We also operate multiple satellite facilities and patient service centers located throughout the state. We ensure that every test we offer—at every location—is accurate and reliable. When physicians request to have patients’ blood drawn, here is what happens: Collection: A doctor, nurse, technician, or phlebotomist will draw the patient’s blood. Several tubes may be needed for different types of tests. Depending on what illness the patient might have, his or her doctor may want to obtain a urine sample, throat swab, or other sample. After the sample is collected, the container is labeled with the patient’s name and other information. The sample is received and processed by the Laboratory, and testing begins: Chemistry Testing Blood and other bodily fluids are tested for chemicals, drugs, and substances that indicate disease. We check cholesterol and other tests for risk of heart disease, glucose to monitor diabetes, or thyroxin to monitor the thyroid gland. Hematology Testing We analyze the amount and function of blood cells and plasma. Examples include the Complete Blood Count (CBC) that tells the doctor how many cells of each type are in the patient’s blood, and the prothrombin time (PT) to measure the time it takes for the blood to clot. Microbiology Testing We test a variety of specimen samples for infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or parasites. We often do urine cultures for urinary tract infections. Virology Testing We test for viral infections. This includes rapid tests for respiratory viruses such as influenza, molecular tests for noroviruses, and antibody tests for HIV. Immunology/Molecular Diagnostics Some tests are used to determine whether the immune system is functioning properly. State-of-the-art analysis of DNA and RNA is used to test for a variety of diseases and for the risk of developing certain diseases. Other specialized tests include the ANA, used to screen for autoimmune disease, and Factor V Leiden genotyping for patients with blood clots. Tumor Profiling Laboratory This lab analyzes tumor DNA to predict the sensitivity or resistance of tumors to a

The Hematology Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital offers comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of blood cancers: lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma. While the causes of these cancers remain unknown, great strides in treatment, some of which originated from Yale Cancer Center research, are improving survival rates. The overall aim of treatment is to bring about a complete remission. Treatment approaches for blood cancers may include chemotherapy, radiation oncology, stem cell or marrow transplantation, or immunotherapy. Each patient receives an individual treatment plan, which includes standard care and/or clinical trials, which offer novel treatment options. Yale hematopathologists employ the complete range of diagnostic tools available, including bone marrow examination, bone imaging, M protein analysis, cytogenetics, immunophenotyping, and FISH and PCR analysis, as well as genetic testing and the identification of markers that guide prognosis. Additionally, patients have access to caregivers who help them cope with the physical, emotional, and psychological issues related to these cancers. Advanced practice nurses and social workers assist with education, general information, and practical issues of travel and accommodation assistance. The blood cancers we are fighting: Lymphoma is the most common blood cancer, affecting 81,000 Americans each year. While its rates continue to rise, there have also been rapid advances in treatment, and the current 5-year survival rate for all people diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma is 87%. Leukemia is a malignant cancer of the bone marrow and blood, diagnosed in 60,000 Americans each year. It is the most common cancer in children and teens. The leukemia death rate for children ranging from birth to age 14 in the United States has declined 60% over the past three decades, due to treatment advances. Myeloma is a disease of the plasma cell, and affects approximately 34,000 new patients annually. Overall survival in patients with myeloma has shown improvement in recent years, with treatments recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a precursor condition that could potentially lead to cancer and should be closely evaluated and monitored. Our myeloma specialists are dedicated to the care of these patients and see them as part of a MGUS Clinic. Stem Cell Transplant The Stem Cell Transplant Program at Smilow Cancer Hospital is a FACT accredited program that was started in 1994 and currently performs around 200 transplants yearly. We perform stem cell and bone marrow transplants for a variety of malignant and benign diseases in both pediatric and adult populations. There are two types of stem cell transplantation that we perform: Autologous transplant: involves using a patient’s own stem cells, whichare collected from their blood and frozen. Allogeneic transplant: involves receiving stem cells from another person, called a donor. A search

Covering every aspect of health care for adults, Internal Medicine is the largest department in the Yale School of Medicine, and the largest clinical service at Yale New Haven Hospital. We provide comprehensive and specialized services in all areas in a variety of outpatient settings as well as the Veterans Affairs (VA) Connecticut Health Care System campus in West Haven. Our culture of collaboration and research gives patients access to expert opinions from nearly 1,000 doctors, as well as opportunities to get tomorrow’s health care today through more than 100 clinical trials. Most importantly, we attend to our diverse community of patients with compassionate, thorough care. Specialized care is offered in the following areas: Allergy & clinical immunology Cardiovascular medicine Digestive diseases Endocrinology General internal medicine Geriatrics Hematology Infectious diseases Medical oncology Occupational health & environmental medicine Nephrology Pulmonology, critical care & sleep medicine Rheumatology International reputation for work in understanding function, independence, and quality of life in older persons Key research breakthroughs of the past decade that include the development of a protective Lyme bacillus disease vaccine, exploration of the underlying causes of allergic disease, and the discovery of novel inherited immunological diseases Largest interventional cardiology program in Connecticut Major referral center for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well as other metabolic conditions Nationally ranked program in kidney diseases and the largest kidney transplant program in New England, with multidisciplinary care clinics One of the largest peripheral vascular programs in the country, with leadership and participation in multiple new percutaneous device trials Once of only a few motility centers in Connecticut to provide all motility procedures and services Unique medical forensic exams for individuals with claims of torture who are seeking asylum in the U.S.