Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Diagnosis of diseases from tissue biopsies and bodily fluids is done at the main hospital on the first floor Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. For more information, please call 202-476-2051. If it is after business hours or the weekend, please call 202-259-0784.

An integral part of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine is The Blood Donor Center, which collects thousands of whole blood and apheresis platelet donations that support the more than 13,000 life-saving and life-enhancing procedures performed each year to help Children’s National patients.

Learn more about becoming a volunteer blood donor.

Additional Laboratory Services

• Bedside testing: for rapid test results for our most critically ill patients
• Biochemical testing: for diagnosis and monitoring of inborn errors of metabolism
• Blood bank: for providing blood and other products for transfusion
• Flow cytometry: characterizes different types of blood cells for diagnosis of immunodeficiency or leukemia
• Hematology
• Hematopathology: for diagnosis of leukemia and lymphoma
• Microbiology testing: for employing conventional culture, detection of antimicrobial resistance & molecular infectious disease tests
• Molecular diagnostics: for diagnosis of genetic diseases and cancer
• Reference laboratory services for rare diseases
• Sweat testing: we are a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation-accredited site
• Testing for organ systems and disease categories: allergy, endocrine, cardiac, gastrointestinal, muscular, neurological, hepatic, pulmonary, autoimmune/immunology, malignant, renal, etc.
• Therapeutic medication monitoring
• Transfusion medicine consultation
• Transplant-related testing

Children's National Hospital has several locations in DC and Maryland, making it easy and convenient for you to have your blood work collected by our pediatric-trained staff. We understand that having blood drawn can be stressful for our special needs patients. We provide phlebotomy expertise, compassion and distraction techniques to make the experience as positive as possible.

For more information about our blood draw services after business hours, contact 202-476-2226. 

Main Hospital

Phone Number: 202-476-5915
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
All blood draws are walk-in.
Sweat testing requires an appointment. Contact 202-476-2226

Annapolis

Phone Number: 410-266-6582
Hours of Operation: Monday- Friday 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. *Due to limited space, please call ahead to prevent long wait times.

Friendship Heights

Phone Number: 202-895-3860
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Howard County

Phone Number: 301-847-2900
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. *Due to limited space, please call ahead to prevent long wait times.

Montgomery County

Phone Number: 301-765-5590
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Prince George's County

Phone Number: 301-276-9189
Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Northern Virginia Regional Outpatient Center

Please note: You can also pick up collection kits or drop off specimens of urine or stool at any of these locations.

Sweat testing requires an appointment. Contact the Laboratory at 202-476-2226 Monday through Friday between 9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Slots are available at 10 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. on weekdays (not available on weekends and holidays).

• Take a look at our parent instructions for preparing ahead of time for your child's sweat test.
• Learn more about what to expect on the day of your child's sweat test appointment.