Thus the nerve-wracking waiting times were shortened

The biopsy answer is one of the most stressful tests for patients, and sometimes determines the way forward – whether it is a benign finding or a malignancy that requires treatment. According to the laboratory data published today (Sunday), the average response time for histological tests in 2025 was 16 days, and in urgent cases about 7 days.

According to Ruth Baruch, the laboratory’s CEO: “At the beginning of my work, I gathered all the employees and told them what it means to wait for a test result and what the patients are going through during this period. I emphasized to the employees that beyond every test that comes there is a patient whose life may change as a result of a test answer they will receive from us.”

As part of the move, additional expert pathologists were recruited, laboratory workers were added and daily goals were defined for the teams. The laboratory moved to a digital pathology model, which allows for remote decoding. “We added laboratory workers, worked to optimize the work with the help of advanced processes and added innovative technologies in various fields,” explains Baruch.

Even in HPV tests to detect the papilloma virus in the cervix, which are performed in a laboratory using dedicated equipment, the waiting time for an answer is about 7 days on average.

In Israel there is a significant shortage of pathologists and a heavy burden on the pathology laboratories. “We have no ability to influence the content of the answer,” says Baruch, “but we will certainly continue to make every effort to continue to lead in short waiting times for receiving an answer as we have succeeded so far.”