Georgia Public Health Laboratory

Mission

The mission of the Georgia Department of Public Health Laboratory Program is to improve the health status of Georgians by providing accurate, timely and confidential clinical and non-clinical laboratory testing in support of Department of Public Health programs, activities and initiatives as well as performing tests for Emergency Preparedness.

To accomplish the role of providing appropriate support for continually evolving public health programs, the DPH Laboratory provides screening, diagnostic and reference laboratory services to citizens of the State through county health departments, public health clinics, physicians, other clinical laboratories, hospitals and state agencies.

Overview

GPHL consists of laboratory facilities in two locations. They include:

• Central Laboratory Facility in Decatur (opened in December 1997)
• Waycross Public Health Laboratory (opened in August 2007)
• GPHL has 140 positions in areas of Administrative, Technical, Clerical and Support responsibility. The GPHL facilities comply with both State and Federal (CLIA’88) Clinical Laboratory Licensure requirements.

Major Focus Areas

The GPHL is arranged in five broad areas of testing and support. They include:

• Chemistry (Newborn Screening Unit, Lead Screening and Fluoride Testing)
• Emergency Preparedness (Biological/Chemical Threat and Molecular Biology Units)
• Facilities Support
• Microbiology (Bacteriology, Microbial Immunology, Mycobacteriology, Parasitology and Virology Units)
• Operations (Accessioning, Data Entry, Reports & Records, Budget, Personnel and Purchasing)

WPHL is a smaller facility whose services include selected tests from the Central (Decatur) Laboratory's specialty areas as well as lead screening and beach water testing for DNR.

Related Links

GPHL Web Portal

CDC Laboratory Science, Policy and Practice Program Office

 

 

 

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Page last updated 06/30/2016