About us...

Eastern Texas Pathology Laboratories, LLC was founded in 2007 by Dr. James Ogburn, MD, FCAP in order to better serve the needs of physicians in the Athens, Texas and surrounding East Texas area in order to better serve the citizens of the extended East Texas community.  Dr. Ogburn’s vision for his new venture was one of a service oriented laboratory providing rapid diagnosis to the physician submitting a surgical specimen to the laboratory.  In order to enable and accomplish this vision, Dr. Ogburn was quick to realize that a full-service anatomic pathology laboratory would be required and set out to design and build such a facility. 

He knew that  to provide the necessary rapid response to the physician, as much of the work of anatomic pathology as possible would need to be done in-house within this laboratory so that sufficient control over the processes could be achieved to ensure short turn-around times for the final pathology reports containing the answers the patient’s physician requires for prompt treatment.

Dr. Ogburn accomplished these goals by constructing a laboratory in Athens, Texas which is capable of providing all routine anatomical pathology services and selected special procedures to the physicians of Athens and surrounding communities. 

The ETPL facility houses a histopathology laboratory for receiving and processing of surgical specimens and non-gyn cytology samples.  Slides are prepared and the pathologist renders their opinion and issues a final report to the physician.  The laboratory is equipped with 2 automatic tissue processors, 3 automatic slide strainers including an immunohistochemical stainer and a special stainer and coverslipper and associated manual processing equipment including 2 microtomy stations, a cytology specimen processing and staining area, and a gross dissection and description area.

In 2011, Dr. Ogburn brought an additional pathologist, Dr. Jason Loos, MD, FCAP on board to facilitate growth within the company and provide needed consultation.  Dr. Loos is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology, and is currently based in Lubbock, Texas.

Staffed with one full-time histology technician certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathology and a compliment of support personnel, the laboratory is capable of next day delivery of the final report on the majority of routine specimens.  More complex specimens require slightly longer depending on the additional workup required.

Jim Ogburn, MD, FCAP