Medlab Pathology — part of Australian Clinical Labs (ACL) since 2021 — provides pathology testing through its collection centres and remains one of the recognisable names patients see on a request form. If your GP referred you to Medlab, this guide walks you through how to access your results and how to read every part of the report.
How to access your Medlab Pathology results
- 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.
- Through your GP — your doctor receives your results electronically as soon as Medlab releases them, usually within 1–3 business days for routine tests.
- Medlab / Australian Clinical Labs — visit medlab.com.au for collection-centre locations and patient contact details. Because Medlab is part of ACL, you may also find our Australian Clinical Labs results guide useful.
You do not need to wait for your follow-up appointment to see your results. Reading them ahead of time means you can ask better, more specific questions during your consultation.
The structure of a Medlab pathology report
Medlab 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 Medlab'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 a Medlab 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 Medlab reports
Medlab 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 Medlab results over time
Medlab may show a recent prior result on the same report, but only for tests done at Medlab — not other providers you may have used. BloodTrack fixes that: upload your Medlab PDF 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 Medlab PDF for free instant analysis, no account needed for your first test.
What to do if there is an error on your Medlab 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 Medlab patient services via the contact details at medlab.com.au. Most issues are resolved by re-issuing a corrected report or repeating the test at no cost where appropriate.
Common Medlab 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 Medlab Pathology or Australian Clinical Labs.