This department was established in 1983 as one of the few independent departments for Chemical Pathology in Asia. It is located in the Prince of Wales Hospital, a 1,280 bed university teaching hospital in Shatin, New Territories and is responsible for provision of a high quality and accredited diagnostic laboratory service to the Prince of Wales Hospital and other hospitals in the North Territories East Cluster. In addition, the Department provides courses in Chemical Pathology for a wide range of students. These have included medical students during the first three years of the new curriculum, a MSc course in Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and a Summer School for medical graduates from China. Research of international quality is carried out, and places for post-graduate research students are highly sought after in the region.

There are about 100 members of staff in the department, employed either by the Chinese University of Hong Kong or Hospital Authority (HA). Some HA staff have honorary academic appointments.

The diagnostic laboratory is extensively automated and fully computerized with links to wards to facilitate requesting of investigations and reporting of results. The laboratory receives over 2,500 patient samples daily from in- and out-patients and provides routine and 24-hour emergency service. Ward terminals are linked to the laboratory computer system for requesting investigations and reporting results. Wards can compose their own cumulative reports tailor-made to their particular users.