Clinical biology lab

The laboratory clinical biology performs analyses on blood, urine, stool or other body materials. These samples are analyzed 24/7 within the laboratory, both for patients admitted to the hospital and for patients from other hospitals and patients who come to the laboratory with a request or samples after a consultation with a general practitioner or specialist. For special analyses, we cooperate with external Belgian or foreign laboratories that are experts in their field.

What can we help you with?

The lab is active in several subfields (haematology, clinical chemistry/immunochemistry, microbiology and molecular biology). The studies can each contribute to the detection of a disease, the confirmation of a diagnosis, the estimation of a prognosis and the monitoring of the therapy that has been initiated. A specialized team is on hand to perform the necessary examinations according to the latest guidelines and technology.

For every visit you must enroll at the hospital reception:

  • For venous blood draws or the delivery of samples, you can come to the laboratory without an appointment. 
  • For endocrinology stimulation tests and sperm testing you'll need to make an appointment. This is possible on weekdays between 08:00 am and 06:00 pm.
  • The laboratory performs blood draws for studies conducted elsewhere. We take care of the correct blood draw, any pretreatment and sending the samples.
klinisch laboratorium

Team

The scientific team of the laboratory clinical biology consists of clinical biologists, a research assistant, a chief lab assistant and medical laboratory technicians (lab technicians). 

The clinical biologists are committed to the efficient and patient-centered use of clinical biology. They ensure the quality of the tests performed and are available for diagnostic and therapeutic advice.

The support offered includes the following aspects:

  • Pre-analytical: advice regarding sample collection, sample transport, stability ...

  • Analytical: advice of laboratory analysis and intended pathology

  • Post-analytical: advice and interpretation of results

  • Therapeutic: antibiotics advice, advice regarding therapeutic drug monitoring

Clinical biologists

prof. ap.-biol. Davy Kieffer

prof. ap.-biol. Davy Kieffer

clinical biologist
ap. Annelies Louwagie

ap.-biol. Annelies Louwagie

clinical biologist
dr. Wim Maurissen

dr. Wim Maurissen

clinical biologist

Where can you find the laboratory clinical biology?

The lab is located at the block D, on the first (1) floor. Follow the turquoise colour from the entrance hall.
Before you sign in at the lab for the examination, you must register in the hospital entrance hall.

Information about various examinations

  • your identity card
  • the name of your general practitioner
  • an insurance card or payment agreement from a hospitalization insurance company (if applicable)
  • a payment commitment from the OCMW (Social Welfare) or other agency that intervenes in the hospital bill (if applicable)

For venous blood draws or the delivery of collection tubes, you can visit the laboratory without an appointment. For endocrinology stimulation tests, you'll need to make an appointment. This is possible on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Blood sampling:

  • Weekdays: from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays: from 9 a.m. to noon
  • Location: block D, first (1) floor
  • If you are not enrolled at the hospital, you'll need to provide us with a recent health insurance sticker.

In the clinical biology lab, we examine the quality of sperm. In case of fertility problems, the gynecologist may decide to proceed with intrauterine insemination, in which sperm cells are inserted directly into the uterus. In this procedure, we first treat the sperm in the lab in order to insert the highest quality sperm.

After sterilization (vasectomy), the sperm must be examined for the presence of sperm cells to verify the success of the procedure.

Before taking a sample, you must first register at the laboratory secretariat. Bring the request from your doctor with you so that we have the necessary administrative data. After making an appointment, you ll be given the appropriate collection material to take home.

a. Fertility testing

Can be done from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and noon.

Download the guidelines for semen sample collection and transport

b. Capacitation

For final insemination, the sample will be prepared on the day determined by the gynecologist between 8 a.m. and noon (Monday through Saturday, not Sunday). The laboratory will be notified of this at least 24 hours in advance.

The capacitated sample is made available approximately one and a half hours after delivery. The gynecologist will be notified as soon as the sample is ready.

The gynecologist will be notified as soon as the sample is ready.

The collection procedure is just the same as for a fertility test. You will receive the collection material when you make the appointment.

It is important that the man first has a blood test done to detect sexually transmitted diseases. This examination takes place maximum 7 days before insemination and therefore not on the day of the insemination itself.

c. Check-up after sterilization (vasectomy)

  • Can be done Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
  • Bring the sample to the laboratory within an hour of collection.
  • On the jar you have to write your name, date of birth, collection date and time.
  • The sample is delivered directly to the laboratory along with an application signed by the doctor.

Urin samples can be dropped off at the clinical biology lab on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
If you have to hand in a urine sample for examination, you must collect the urine in a special jar. You can pick up these jars, upon presentation of your request form, at the counter of the lab. Return the jar with urine at the laboratory counter. You always have the possibility to collect your urine within the laboratory.

Download the guidelines for collecting a urine sample (female)

Download the guidelines for collecting a urine sample (male)

Download the guidelines for collecting a urine sample (small children)

If you need to collect urine for a 24-hour examination, you must collect that urine in special designated jars. You can pick up these jars, upon presentation of your request form, at the laboratory counter. The instructions for collecting urine are described on these jars and will be clarified to you when you pick them up. Handing in the jars with the collected urine is also done at the counter of the lab.

Download the guidelines for collection of a 24-hour urine collection

For examining bowel movements, the following guidelines apply depending on the purpose of the examination:

Download the guidelines for taking a microbiological examination

Download the guidelines for looking up blood 

For ethical and privacy reasons, the lab will not discuss or communicate results to the patient or family. Your doctorwill receive the result in writing, by phone or electronically and discuss the results with you.

As patient, you can therefore request the lab result from your doctor.

For standard tests, the result is usually available within a few hours, but for some tests, it takes several days to several weeks before the result is known. Emergency tests are prior at any time of the day. We strive to make results available within the hour in acute situations.

Results of analyses that require immediate attention of the attending doctor are reported to the doctor by telephone.  

Lab clinical biology information for healthcare professionals

Accreditations/Quality

General

The laboratory has WIV recognition (recognition number 71620) as required by Belgian legislation. This allows the patient to be reimbursed for the analyses by Social Security.
To ensure and further optimize the quality of services, the laboratory has a coherent and operational quality system in accordance with the practice guideline of the WIV.

Capacitation

FAGG No. 10-0043, extension of accreditation

Accreditation

The laboratory is BELAC-accredited according to the international quality standard for medical laboratories ISO 15189:2012. The scope (list of analyses) to which the accreditation applies is listed on the following website (https://economie.fgov.be/nl/belac ) under accreditation certificate 641-MED.

In summer 2019 the clinical lab achieved BELAC accreditation for the ISO standard for medical laboratories, ISO standard 15189.