Our History

Pathlab’s history began in 1958 when it was established Norfolk Laboratory on Grace Road in Tauranga. The practice was then expanded with the development of the First Avenue Laboratory in the 1980s and 90s. We have operated a combined Tauranga Hospital and Bay of Plenty community laboratory service since July 1996.

Prior to 1995 we provided community laboratory services within the Bay of Plenty only. Our service was called Medlab Bay of Plenty. In 1995 the development of a joint venture with Medlab Bay of Plenty to merge the hospital and community laboratories was sought. The vision was to develop a centre of excellence in medical laboratory service delivery that would produce economies of scale and could extend to involve Eastern Bay of Plenty and Lakes regions.

In 2001 Pathlab Waikato merged with Medlab Bay of Plenty, forming Pathology Associates Limited (PAL) as the parent company. 2006 saw the Bay of Plenty and Waikato arms re-branded to ‘Pathlab’, with Pathlab Whakatane brought into the picture in 2010.  Lakes DHB then in late 2016 awarded Pathlab the contract to provide diagnostic medical laboratory services for the entire Lakes region.

Please click here for more information on the medical testing services provided by Pathlab.