Western Diagnostic Pathology — usually shortened to WDP — is the dominant pathology provider across Western Australia and the Northern Territory, with more than 200 collection centres from Perth and Mandurah through Broome, Karratha, Darwin and Alice Springs. WDP is part of Healius Limited, the same group that owns Laverty Pathology (NSW), 4Cyte Pathology (VIC/NSW) and several other state labs. If your GP has referred you for blood tests in WA or the NT, there is a very high chance the report came back from WDP.
This guide explains how to access your WDP results (with one important quirk WA patients should know about), how to read each section of the report, what the abbreviations mean, and how to track every biomarker over time using a free online tool.
How to access your WDP results — the important WA/NT quirk
Unlike most major Australian pathology providers, WDP does not offer a direct patient portal and will not release results over the phone (a strict privacy policy). This catches many WA and NT patients off guard. You have two routes:
- My Health Record — since December 2021, WDP automatically uploads all pathology results to My Health Record. This is the primary digital route for WDP patients. Access through myhealthrecord.gov.au or the My Health Record mobile app. If you have not activated My Health Record, do it before your next collection at myhealthrecord.gov.au — registration takes about 5 minutes with a Medicare card.
- Through your GP — your doctor receives results electronically as soon as they are available, usually within 1–3 business days. You can request a printed or emailed copy at your follow-up appointment.
Tip: activating My Health Record before your collection means your WDP results appear there automatically without any extra step. Reading your own report a few days before your follow-up GP appointment lets you arrive informed and ask better questions.
The structure of a WDP pathology report
WDP reports follow the standard RCPA (Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia) format used by all major Australian pathology providers. Each report contains:
- Header: your name, date of birth, Medicare number, the requesting doctor, the WDP collection centre, the collection date and time, and a unique accession number.
- Tests grouped by panel: Full Blood Count (FBC), Liver Function Test (LFT), Iron Studies, Lipid Panel, Hormone Profile, Thyroid Function, EUC (Urea/Electrolytes/Creatinine), HbA1c, and any specialty panels your doctor requested.
- For each marker: the abbreviated name (e.g. ALT), your numeric value, the unit (e.g. U/L), and WDP''s reference range.
- Flags: WDP uses an H or L marker for results above or below the reference range. Some reports include comparator results from your previous WDP tests at the same lab — useful for spotting trends.
- Pathologist comments: WDP pathologists add interpretive notes for unusual, critical or markedly abnormal results.
Common abbreviations on a WDP report
| Abbreviation | Full name | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| FBC | Full Blood Count | Red cells, white cells, platelets and indices |
| Hb | Haemoglobin | Oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells |
| HCT or PCV | Haematocrit / Packed Cell Volume | Proportion of blood made up of red cells |
| MCH | Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin | Average haemoglobin per red cell |
| MCV | Mean Corpuscular Volume | Average size of red blood cells |
| MCHC | Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration | Haemoglobin concentration in red cells |
| RDW | Red cell Distribution Width | Variation in red cell size |
| LFT | Liver Function Test | ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, bilirubin, albumin |
| ALT | Alanine Transaminase | Liver enzyme — most liver-specific |
| AST | Aspartate Transaminase | Liver / muscle enzyme |
| GGT | Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase | Liver / biliary enzyme; alcohol-sensitive |
| ALP | Alkaline Phosphatase | Liver / bone enzyme |
| U+E or EUC | Urea, Electrolytes & Creatinine | Kidney function panel |
| eGFR | Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate | Kidney filtration rate |
| TSH | Thyroid Stimulating Hormone | Pituitary signal to the thyroid |
| FT4 / FT3 | Free Thyroxine / Triiodothyronine | Active thyroid hormones |
| Ferritin | Ferritin | Iron storage protein |
| TIBC | Total Iron Binding Capacity | Indirect measure of transferrin |
| Trans Sat | Transferrin Saturation | Percentage of transferrin carrying iron |
| HbA1c | Glycated Haemoglobin | 3-month average glucose |
| SHBG | Sex Hormone Binding Globulin | Hormone-binding protein |
| FAI | Free Androgen Index | Calculated free testosterone marker |
| LH / FSH | Luteinising / Follicle Stimulating Hormone | Pituitary reproductive hormones |
| AMH | Anti-Müllerian Hormone | Ovarian reserve marker |
| CRP | C-Reactive Protein | Inflammation marker |
| UA | Uric Acid | Purine metabolism / gout marker |
Reference ranges on WDP reports
WDP uses RCPA-aligned reference ranges with sex- and age-adjustments where appropriate. A few worth knowing:
- ALT: men <40 U/L, women <35 U/L (slight variation by individual lab)
- 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 (some specialists use a tighter 1.0-2.5 mIU/L "optimal" range, especially during pregnancy planning)
- HbA1c: <5.7% normal · 5.7-6.4% prediabetes · >6.4% diabetes
- Total testosterone: men 8-29 nmol/L (declines ~1-2%/year after 30) · women 0.5-2.5 nmol/L
- 25-OH Vitamin D: 50-150 nmol/L sufficient · 30-49 mild deficiency · <30 moderate-severe deficiency
Note: "normal" is not the same as "optimal". Reference ranges describe statistical population norms, not the level associated with the lowest disease risk. A TSH of 3.8 is "normal" but many specialists target 1.0-2.5. Ferritin of 25 is "normal" at some labs but often symptomatic.
The H and L flags on WDP reports
WDP flags out-of-range results with H (high) or L (low). Some markedly abnormal values get HH or LL. A few principles:
- An isolated mild flag (just outside the reference) is often non-significant. Recent infection raises ferritin and CRP. Recent intense exercise raises CK and AST. Dehydration raises urea and haematocrit. Repeat in 4-8 weeks if your GP agrees.
- Multiple flagged markers in the same panel usually tell a coherent story. Low ferritin + low haemoglobin + low MCV + low MCH = iron deficiency anaemia. High ALT + high AST + high GGT = liver injury (cause depends on the ratio).
- HH/LL flags (markedly out of range or critical values) — the WDP pathologist will usually call your GP directly. Take these seriously and schedule a prompt review.
How to track your WDP results over time
Because WDP does not offer a direct patient portal, tracking your own results over time is harder than with other AU pathology providers. My Health Record stores PDFs but does not chart trends, does not compare against optimal ranges, and does not surface condition-specific patterns. If you have ever moved to or from WA — between WDP and a Sonic-owned lab (Sullivan Nicolaides, QML, Dorevitch, Douglass Hanly Moir) or another Healius lab (Laverty, 4Cyte) — your trend history is fragmented across multiple systems.
BloodTrack solves this. Upload your WDP PDFs (download them from My Health Record) and BloodTrack:
- Extracts every biomarker from the WDP format automatically
- Maps each result to RCPA-aligned reference ranges
- Charts every marker over time across any Australian pathology provider
- Flags out-of-range and near-boundary results
- Surfaces condition-specific patterns (PCOS, TRT, fatty liver, iron deficiency, thyroid)
It works entirely in your browser — no download, no app store. Try uploading your WDP PDF, no account needed for your first analysis.
Iron Infusion Clinic and other WDP-specific services
WDP runs its own Iron Infusion Clinic at select WA locations — a useful option for WA patients with severe iron deficiency who would otherwise need a hospital day-clinic referral. Iron infusion (typically Ferinject or Monoferric) restores iron stores in a single visit and is widely used for iron deficiency that has not responded to oral iron or where rapid correction is needed.
WDP also offers mobile (home) collections for patients who are infirm or too unwell to attend a collection centre, eReferrals for paperless requests from your GP, and a Diabetes Watch reporting service for HbA1c monitoring. Ask your GP whether your situation is suited to any of these.
Bulk billing on WDP tests
Most pathology tests at WDP are bulk billed for patients with a valid Medicare card, meaning no out-of-pocket cost. Some specialty tests (certain hormone, allergy and genetic panels) are not Medicare-covered, only partially covered, or have item-number limits — in those cases WDP will charge a gap or out-of-pocket fee. Ask your GP or check WDP''s pricing before you collect if you are unsure, especially for specialty fertility, hormone or genetic panels.
What if there is something wrong with my WDP report?
Pathology reports occasionally have errors — wrong sample, mis-labelled test, transposed results. If something on your report looks clearly inconsistent (e.g. men''s reference ranges applied to a female patient, or a test you did not have appearing on the report), contact WDP on (08) 9317 0999 (main office, Jandakot WA) or — better — speak with your referring GP, who can request a correction or re-issue. Note: WDP cannot release or discuss results over the phone with patients directly for privacy reasons.
Common WDP report patterns
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 context on individual markers, browse the BloodTrack biomarker glossary — over 200 markers explained with Australian-specific reference ranges, what high and low results mean, and how often to retest.
Related panels and marker comparisons
See the full panels behind these markers: Full Blood Count, Liver Function, Thyroid Panel and Kidney Function (EUC).
Confused by similar-looking markers? Compare ALT vs AST, Ferritin vs Iron and TSH vs Free T4.
Results from a different lab? See our Sullivan Nicolaides (SNP), Dorevitch, Laverty, QML, 4Cyte, Australian Clinical Labs (ACL) and Douglass Hanly Moir (DHM) pathology results guides.
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 Western Diagnostic Pathology or Healius Limited.