It comes after advocate for the new Dunedin hospital Terry Taylor publicly stated Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora (HNZ) had "rocks in their head" for not working out a solution earlier.
In response, HNZ acting national director for planning, funding and outcomes Jason Power said the organisation was working on a national pathology service development plan (SDP).
"This will take a longer term (10 year) view of pathology service requirements around the motu, including patient and referrer needs, capacity need, capability requirements responding to both new medical advances and technology advances, along with workforce planning.
"Work is under way on the best solution for pathology at the new Dunedin hospital.
"The SDP will help to inform decisions on pathology for the new Dunedin hospital going forward, as with all hospitals."
New Zealand Institute of Medical Laboratory Science president Tony Barnett said the announcement of a review was a "broadly positive" thing.
"Whenever your profession is focused on, there are two ways you could take it.
"Are they looking to reduce something or are they looking to just reaffirm and find some sustainable way forward? And I’m hoping it’s the latter."
Mr Barnett said HNZ had recently created the Pathology National Clinical Networks to align with other clinical networks and other disciplines within health.
He hoped feedback from these networks would inform the SDP.
"So it’s just really building on that. And it’s all about the sustainability of the profession and making sure that the public is served in the best way possible."
Pathology services in Dunedin had always been a point of contention, especially as HNZ had not yet confirmed where the services would be when the new Dunedin hospital gets built, Mr Barnett said.
"So one would hope and expect that they find a workable solution which is good not only for Dunedin, but for the whole region."
Mr Taylor, who has advocated for pathology being in the "shelled" sixth floor of the new Dunedin hospital, said a review of pathology nationwide was good news.
"We’ve just got to keep the pressure on HNZ now to do what’s best for everyone."
The SDP should be finished by the second half of this year, HNZ said.
