Abbott Pathology — part of the Healius group — is one of the major pathology providers in South Australia, with collection centres across Adelaide and regional SA. If your GP referred you for blood tests in South Australia, Abbott is one of the likely providers. This guide walks you through every part of an Abbott report.
How to access your Abbott Pathology results
Abbott Pathology does not operate a separate patient self-service portal — in most cases you receive results through your healthcare provider. There are two reliable ways to see them:
- My Health Record — from 2026, Australian pathology providers upload most results to My Health Record by default. Log in at myhealthrecord.gov.au or via the myGov / Medicare app to view them.
- Through your GP — your doctor receives your results electronically as soon as Abbott releases them, usually within 1–3 business days for routine tests, and can share a copy with you.
Reading your results ahead of your follow-up appointment means you can ask better, more specific questions during your consultation.
The structure of an Abbott pathology report
Abbott reports follow the standard RCPA (Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia) format used by all major Australian providers. Each report includes:
- Header: your name, date of birth, the requesting doctor, the collection centre, collection date and time, and a unique accession number.
- Tests grouped by panel: Full Blood Count (FBC), Liver Function Test (LFT), Urea/Electrolytes/Creatinine (EUC), Iron Studies, Lipids, Thyroid Function, and so on.
- For each marker: abbreviated name, your value, the unit, and Abbott's reference range (sex- and age-adjusted where appropriate).
- Flags: H (high) or L (low) beside out-of-range results; HH or LL for critical values.
- Pathologist comments: interpretive notes on unusual or markedly abnormal results.
Common abbreviations on an Abbott report
| Abbreviation | Full name | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| FBC / FBE | Full Blood Count / Examination | Red cells, white cells, platelets and indices |
| Hb | Haemoglobin | Oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells |
| HCT / PCV | Haematocrit | Proportion of blood that is red cells |
| MCH | Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin | Average haemoglobin per red cell |
| MCV | Mean Corpuscular Volume | Average size of red blood cells |
| LFT | Liver Function Test | ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, bilirubin, albumin |
| ALT | Alanine Aminotransferase | Liver enzyme — most liver-specific |
| AST | Aspartate Aminotransferase | Liver / muscle enzyme |
| GGT | Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase | Liver / biliary enzyme; alcohol-sensitive |
| EUC / U+E | Urea, Electrolytes & Creatinine | Kidney function panel |
| eGFR | Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate | Kidney filtration rate |
| TSH | Thyroid Stimulating Hormone | Pituitary signal to the thyroid |
| Ferritin | Ferritin | Iron storage protein |
| HbA1c | Glycated Haemoglobin | 3-month average glucose |
| CRP / hsCRP | C-Reactive Protein | Inflammation |
Reference ranges on Abbott reports
Abbott uses RCPA-aligned reference ranges with sex- and age-adjustments. Useful ones to know:
- ALT: men <40 U/L, women <35 U/L
- Ferritin: men 30–300 µg/L, women 15–200 µg/L (RACGP defines iron deficiency as <30 µg/L)
- TSH: 0.4–4.0 mIU/L
- HbA1c: <42 mmol/mol (<6.0%) normal · 42–47 (6.0–6.4%) pre-diabetes · ≥48 (≥6.5%) diabetes
- 25-OH Vitamin D: 50–150 nmol/L sufficient · 30–49 mild deficiency · <30 moderate-to-severe
Remember: "normal" is not the same as "optimal". A reference range describes the middle 95% of a healthy population — not necessarily the level linked to the lowest disease risk.
The H and L flags
- Mildly flagged isolated results are often non-significant — recent infection raises ferritin and CRP, intense exercise raises AST and CK, dehydration raises urea. Repeat in 4–8 weeks if your GP agrees.
- Coherent multi-marker patterns matter more: low ferritin + low haemoglobin + low MCV = iron-deficiency anaemia; a high AST/ALT ratio with high GGT suggests alcohol-related liver disease.
- HH or LL (critical) — the pathologist phones your GP directly. Arrange a prompt review.
How to track your Abbott results over time
Because Abbott results reach you through your GP or My Health Record rather than a dedicated patient dashboard, keeping your own running history is especially useful. Upload your Abbott PDF to BloodTrack and every biomarker is extracted, mapped to RCPA-aligned ranges, and charted over time across every provider you have ever used, with out-of-range values flagged in plain English. It runs entirely in your browser — upload your Abbott PDF for free instant analysis, no account needed for your first test.
What to do if there is an error on your Abbott report
If something looks clearly wrong — a male range applied to a female patient, a missing test, results inconsistent with how you feel — contact your referring GP first, and Abbott patient services via the contact details at abbottpathology.com.au. Most issues are resolved by re-issuing a corrected report or repeating the test at no cost where appropriate.
Common Abbott report patterns explained
For interpretation of common patterns — iron deficiency, fatty liver, thyroid dysfunction, PCOS, insulin resistance — see our companion guide: Free Online Blood Test Analysis: How to Interpret Australian Pathology Reports. For deeper detail on each marker, browse the BloodTrack biomarker glossary.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always discuss your blood test results with a qualified healthcare professional. BloodTrack is not affiliated with Abbott Pathology or Healius.