Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dermatopathology?

Dermatopathology is the study of the structure and function of skin in health and disease. Dermatopathologists use microscopic examination and a variety of special techniques to examine skin specimens. Dermatologists receive some training in Dermatopathology, but most Dermatologists are not Board Certified in Dermatopathology. Board Certification in Dermatopathology requires medical school, residency, Board Certification in either Pathology or Dermatology, followed by a fellowship in Dermatopathology and the successful completion of a national board examination in Dermatopathology. There are currently approximately one thousand Board Certified Dermatopathologists in the United States, although not all of them practice Dermatopathology full time. (Some are researchers or practice Dermatopathology part time as a sideline to other medical specialties.)

Rabkin Dermatopathology Laboratory's physicians are all Board Certified Dermatopathologists devoted full time and exclusively to Dermatopathology.

Do you see patients?

No. As noted above and in the About Us section Rabkin Dermatopathology's physicians are full time Dermatopathologists, meaning they have chosen to limit themselves to the microscopic analysis of the skin. They do not see patients, take biopsies, or treat patients. Rabkin Dermatopathology Laboratory is not equipped for patients and is not open to the public.

Do you perform other kinds of lab tests?

No. We are a specialty laboratory. Skin cells are the only cells we examine. We do not have the facilities or equipment to perform tests on any other body parts or bodily fluids. Such specialization enables us to be expert and efficient in our field.

When can I expect to get my results?

Generally, at least a preliminary report will be available to the referring physician in two to three working days (Monday through Friday excluding holidays) from the date we receive the biopsy. Depending upon what additional testing is necessary, it can take up to a week to get final results, but it is very unusual for it to take longer than that. Our reports are sent to the referring physician as soon as they are available, and referring physicians may access both pending and completed reports on a secure, encrypted web-based program at any time: https://www.ipweblink.com/.

Can I get a copy of my own pathology report?

Yes. We cannot give results over the phone or by email, but we can send you a copy of your pathology report to your address of record or to another physician's office at your request. If the patient is under eighteen, we can send the report to the patient's parent or guardian. There is no additional charge for the copy.

Can you explain my results to me?

While we are happy to send you a copy of your report, the physician who took your biopsy is in the best position to answer questions about your report. Your pathology report should be combined with your doctor's clinical expertise and his or her clinical observations of your skin and your overall health history before reaching any conclusions about your condition, treatment or prognosis. If your physician has any questions about our report, he or she is welcome to call our Dermatopathologists, but it is your own physician who should be addressing any concerns you may have about the results of your biopsy.

Why is there a separate bill from Rabkin Dermatopathology?

We are completely independent from any physician's office or hospital, and our billing is completely separate. We provide referring physician's offices with a card to give to patients which explains that there will be a bill from us for our services. We do bill insurances, but depending upon your insurance it is possible that there will be a balance due even after your insurance processes our claim. All of our billing is done in-house, and we accept checks, money orders or credit cards for any balances due. For more information, click here.

What insurances do you participate with?

Click here for a list of the insurances with which we have contracts. We have contracted with most of the insurers that allow independent laboratories to participate with them. Some managed care companies will only contract with one national laboratory for all laboratory services, and as a specialty laboratory we are effectively excluded from such contracts. Please feel free to contact our billing department if you have questions about insurances not on the list.

What if a doctor or hospital needs to review my slides?

We can send a copy of the report, along with the original glass slides, to any doctors or hospitals at your request. We will, however, need a release signed by you before we can send the slides to the reviewing facility. We do not charge for sending the slides to the reviewing facility, but you should be aware that the reviewing facility will normally bill you and/or your insurance for their services. We do ask that the slides be returned to us once the review process has been completed, and we store all slides indefinitely in case they are ever needed. Unlike some laboratories, we do not destroy any patient slides no matter how old they are. We have patient slides dating back to 1991, when we first opened our doors.