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About OLS

What is the Office of Laboratory Services?

The Office of Laboratory Services (OLS) is dedicated to the promotion, protection, and assurance of the health of citizens of West Virginia through the pursuit of the following objectives:
  • Provide quality-assured laboratory services as an aid in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of communicable, chronic and genetic diseases;
  • Serve as a reference laboratory to perform unusual or difficult procedures and to offer specialized laboratory testing not performed by private laboratories in West Virginia;
  • Support public health activities by providing laboratory testing for programs such as Family Planning, Maternal and Child Health, the STD Control program, Epidemiology, Environmental Health Services and local health departments;
  • Improve laboratory performance in West Virginia laboratories through training, information updates, laboratory approval programs, personnel licensure and consultative services.
For a complete history of our laboratory, click HERE.


How do I contact OLS?

There are three laboratories that provide testing services.  The main laboratory, located in South Charleston, West Virginia, is responsible for Threat-Preparedness, Serology, Microbiology, Bacteriology, Parasitology, Environmental Microbiology, Newborn Screening, Virology, and Rabies testing.  The Environmental Chemistry Laboratory is located in Big Chimney, WV and a district Environmental Microbiology Laboratory is located in Kearneysville, WV.

South Charleston Laboratory (Main)
WV Department of Health & Human Resources
Bureau for Public Health
Office of Laboratory Services
167 Eleventh Avenue
South Charleston, WV 25303
Phone: 304-558-3530
Fax: 304-558-2006 (Administrative)
Fax: 304-558-6210 (Lab)
Fax: 304-746-0658 (CLIA/Licensure)

Big Chimney Laboratory
WV Department of Health & Human Resources
Bureau for Public Health
Office of Laboratory Services
Environmental Chemistry Laboratory
4710 Chimney Drive Suite G
Charleston, WV 25302
Phone: 304-965-2694 
Fax: 304-965-2696

Kearneysville Laboratory
WV Department of Health & Human Resources
Bureau for Public Health
Office of Laboratory Services 
Bardane District Environmental Laboratory
1948 Wiltshire Road, Suite #7 
Kearneysville, WV 25430
Phone: 304-725-5832 
Fax: 304-725-3108


What are the hours of operation?

Hours of operation are from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
OLS is closed on all State holidays.

Is testing available to the general public?

The Office of Laboratory Services coordinates and accepts specimens for testing only through physicians, local health departments, health clinics, and healthcare providers.  

The environmental lab does accept well water samples from the general public for testing well water systems on a limited basis and with prior arrangement with the environmental lab.  To submit a well water sample to OLS, contact your local health department and review our procedures on well water submission.

Can I get a copy of my laboratory results?

Test results are released only to authorized persons (physician personnel, local health departments, health clinics).  A patient is not an authorized person.

Can I find out if the laboratory doing my tests is reliable?

Office of Laboratory Services certifications:
  • Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA)
  • US EPA Certification for Drinking Water Microbiology & Chemistry

Current licenses:
  • Department of Treasury, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms
  • WV Alcohol Beverage Control Administration
  • Infectious Medical Waste Management in DHHR's Office of Environmental Health Services

See the Regulatory Section of our website for additional information and to determine whether a laboratory is certified for CLIA, HIV testing, Syphilis Serology, water testing, or to verify licensed testing personnel.


What tests are performed at OLS?

The Office of Laboratory services provides a variety of clinical and environmental testing.  Listed below is a summary of some of the tests that OLS offers:
  • Environmental and clinical specimen confirmation for agents of bioterrorism and chemical terrorism
  • Foodborne illness
  • Hepatitis
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Influenza
  • Newborn testing for metabolic disorders
  • Parasitology
  • Rabies
  • Sexually Transmitted Illness (STI)
  • Tuberculosis (TB)
  • Water Testing

Organization Chart