Our Company

Who We Are

ACLA, Anatomic & Clinical Laboratory Associates, P.C. is a physician-owned pathology group founded in 1979 and based in Nashville, Tennessee. Over the years, our practice has grown to include 13 pathologists. All pathologists have board certification in anatomic and clinical pathology by the American Board of Pathology. Many of our pathologists have additional subspecialty boards and/or training in blood bank/transfusion medicine, hematopathology, cytopathology, gastrointestinal/hepatobiliary pathology, gynecologic pathology, breast pathology and general surgical pathology.

ACLA is proud to be the pathology partner for Saint Thomas Health, the Middle Tennessee division of the nation’s largest not-for-profit hospital system, Ascension Health. We provide anatomic and clinical pathology services at each of the nine Saint Thomas Health hospitals and also serve as medical directors of the Saint Thomas Lab Plus, LLC clinical laboratories. Our pathologists are based throughout the system with offices at Saint Thomas West, Saint Thomas Midtown, and Saint Thomas Rutherford hospitals. Within Saint Thomas Health, we are intimately involved in leadership roles for the individual hospitals, work closely with our clinical colleagues to provide exceptional patient care, and routinely attend multidisciplinary tumor boards and medical staff committee meetings.

Additionally, ACLA offers anatomic pathology services to a wide range of outpatient physician practices in the Middle Tennessee area. We strive to offer diagnostic services that are integrated across the outpatient and inpatient settings. We provide courier services for specimen pick up and can provide results via an electronic interface. ACLA is eager to be your pathology team and will strive to provide high quality diagnostic care in a timely fashion. Our pathologists are listed below by their primary hospital site.


Our Mission

ACLA is a pathology practice providing timely, high-quality, and accurate diagnostic medical services to the patients and physicians of Saint Thomas Health and our local community.


Core Values

  • Patient care: Caring for patients is our top priority, and we are dedicated to doing what is right for our patients first and foremost.
  • Service: We serve the underserved and support the mission of Saint Thomas Health and Ascension.
  • Quality: We strive for excellence and are committed to ensuring the quality of our results, communications, and reports through self-assessment and continuous improvement. Our communications are clear and concise, including pertinent findings to help guide patient care.
  • Integrity: We endeavor to adhere to the highest ethical, moral, and regulatory standards.
  • Professionalism: We aim to create and maintain a supportive and respectful work environment with generosity to all practice associates.
  • Collaboration: We are cognizant of our place as members of a team of healthcare professionals and aim to be available and accessible.
  • Education: We are dedicated to lifelong learning and to sharing our knowledge through education of medical staff, residents, hospital associates, patients, and the community.

Meet Our Pathologists