Hospital to reopen Mineral King Lab

Tulare Local Healthcare District will reopen its forensic laboratory Monday.

Mineral King Lab was closed Oct. 28, 2017 by the former management company of the hospital.

At the same time, the hospital board of directors in October voluntarily suspended its acute care license, but the lab is not part of that license and can be reopened. Efforts continue to reopen the hospital and its clinics.

“I've been running all over the county to get customers back,” said Matt Chapman, operations manager of the lab which does forensic alcohol and drug testing for law enforcement.

Chapman said all law enforcement in Tulare County, including probation, utilized the Tulare lab prior to its closing. Today, those agencies have to send their samples to a lab in Clovis.

“We serve mostly law enforcement and other hospitals,” Chapman said, adding Sierra View Medical Center has already indicated it was coming back to Mineral King.

The lab is a full-service toxicology laboratory doing complete employment and industrial drug testing for pre-employment screening and on the job injuries. Its services include: Laboratory tests, collection of specimens, medical review officer services and record keeping.

The lab draws and then test samples and it's a seven-day, 24-hour service.

Chapman said the lab will begin with six employees, only two less than it had when it was closed. He hopes to bring that staffing up to eight in the near future.

All of those being hired previously worked at the hospital.

Chapman stressed the lab is still licensed by the Drug Enforcement Agency. Dr. Gary Walter continues to be the medical director for the facility.

For more information, call 685-3456.