Patient Services
Everything you need to know about your pathology care — what we do, who we are, and the services we provide.
What does a pathology lab do?
When your doctor removes tissue during a biopsy or surgery, that specimen is sent to us for analysis. Our board-certified pathologists examine it under a microscope to determine what kind of cells are present — normal, precancerous, cancerous, or affected by disease.
The pathology report your doctor receives directly informs your diagnosis and treatment plan.
Important: You will not receive results directly from Summit Pathology. Your ordering physician will contact you with your results.
Types of specimens we analyze
- Biopsy and surgical tissue specimens
- Pap smears and cervical specimens
- Fine needle aspiration (FNA) specimens
- Skin biopsies (dermatopathology)
- GI endoscopy specimens
- Gynecologic pathology specimens
What happens to your specimen
From collection to your doctor's hands — here's how the process works.
Specimen Collected
Your physician collects the specimen and sends it to our lab with a completed requisition.
Lab Processing
Our technicians process, section, and stain the specimen for microscopic examination.
Pathologist Review
A board-certified pathologist examines the specimen and issues a detailed diagnostic report.
Results to Your Doctor
The report goes to your ordering physician, who will contact you to discuss the findings.
Most routine results are available within 2–3 business days.
Pathology Services
The processing and interpretation of your biopsy specimen is called "surgical pathology." Our laboratory uses state-of-the-art technology and a dedicated, highly skilled staff to prepare your specimen for evaluation. Once the tissue is ready, your biopsy will be interpreted by one of our experienced and board-certified pathologists. We have pathologists with expertise in a multitude of areas on our staff, including breast pathology, gastrointestinal pathology, hematopathology (blood disorders), skin pathology, and general surgical pathology. If your case is exceptionally difficult to interpret, we may utilize the services of world-renowned consultants to assist us in giving you the most accurate diagnosis possible.
Summit Pathology also provides outstanding gynecologic and non-gynecologic cytology service, operating our own cytology and molecular lab. Under the direction of Dr. Arlene Libby, our fellowship-trained, board-certified cytopathologist, we are well-equipped to provide a full range of cytopathology services.
If your doctor has sent us a PAP screen specimen for interpretation, you can rest assured that it will be treated with care and will be screened by qualified, dedicated personnel with years of experience in the field. We take great pride in our timely, accurate results. Further, should you and your doctor desire, we can perform additional tests on your PAP sample that can assist your doctor further in your care and future good health.
In the course of your treatment, you may have the opportunity to see your pathology report from your biopsy or tumor resection. We work very hard to make those reports accessible and understandable to your doctor, but you may still be confused by some of the terminology. If you are confused by something in your pathology report, you are always best advised to discuss the issue with your doctor, since he or she knows you best and understands best how your result fits in with your particular situation.
Who We Are
Locally owned. Nationally recognized.
Summit Pathology is an independent, physician-owned pathology laboratory based in Loveland, Colorado. We serve hospitals, clinics, surgical centers, and physician practices throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
As an independent laboratory, we have no obligation to any hospital system or corporate owner — our only obligation is to accurate diagnosis and excellent service for the providers and patients who trust us.
We believe that pathology is central to the patient care experience. When a diagnosis is accurate and timely, treatment begins sooner. That's the Summit difference.
Years serving Colorado
Accredited laboratory
Physician-owned
Average TAT
Certifications & Accreditations
We maintain the highest standards through rigorous accreditation and ongoing quality assurance.
