Please review the following letter regarding Corewell Health and Quest Diagnostics decision to Enter into Joint Venture:
Effective Date: September 3, 2025
The MRSA Screen PCR [LAB1231076] detects the presence or absence of colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and may be used to guide antimicrobial prophylaxis decisions. To improve and standardize test utilization across all Corewell Health regions, the following restrictions will be added to this test order:
- Ordering will be restricted to one test every 7 days.
- An indication for ordering must be provided for each order. Acceptable indications are:
- Pneumonia
- Skin and soft tissue (use for non-purulent infections)
- Surgical prophylaxis
Studies have shown that there is minimal utility in re-testing within 2 weeks as MRSA conversion rates are low and the PCR negative predictive values remain high for at least 14 days after initial testing.
Absence of nasal colonization with MRSA cannot be used to reliably rule out MRSA infection in scenarios other than those listed above.
Test Information
The following information was updated in the Lab Catalog.
All changes are for Corewell Health Laboratories in Southwest and West Michigan. For Laboratories in Southeast Michigan, please visit: corewellhealth.org/labcatalog and navigate to the Southeast Michigan site.
This bi-monthly bulletin includes updates about insurance payor nuances, diagnosis coding reminders, and other helpful tips and information regarding all things laboratory billing.
Lab Billing Brief: Z-Codes and Medical Necessity
If you have any questions, please reach out to your laboratory account manager.
We’re excited to introduce our Laboratory Billing Brief. This bi-monthly flyer includes updates about insurance payor nuances, diagnosis coding reminders, and other helpful tips and information regarding all things laboratory billing.
Collaborate: Lab Billing Brief: Antibody Testing for Syphilis
If you have any questions, please reach out to your laboratory account manager.
Effective Wednesday, July 30, 2025, changes to result reporting will be implemented across all Hematology Departments at Corewell Health Laboratories. These updates will help align all regions within Corewell Health Hematology Departments to provide a high-quality and standardize patient care experience.
The following are the most impactful changes for the Corewell Health West Michigan Region:
Effective July 30, 2025, PD-L1 testing will be performed at Corewell Health Reference Laboratory East and will no longer be a sendout to Neogenomics. Collection instructions and other information may have changed, please visit the lab catalog for more information.
For questions and inquiries, please use the “Contact Us” link above.
TEST INFORMATION
New test: PD-L1 [LAB3658]
Former test: PD-L1 to Neogenomics (LAB848)
In January 2025, Corewell Health Laboratories closed Butterworth Outpatient Lab (100 Michigan St.) and opened a new draw site at 275 Michigan Street.
With this transition, there are changes to the testing services previously provided at Butterworth Outpatient Lab. The following tests cannot be collected at the outpatient draw site at 275 Michigan but can be collected at the Lab at the Outpatient Center in 35 Michigan St., regardless of the patient’s age:
- Ammonia
- Cryoglobulin
- Venous Blood Gas
- Platelet Aggregation
- Cold Agglutinin Titer
- Carboxyhemoglobin
- Lactic Acid
- Lactate/Pyruvate Ratio
- Verify Now
- Gene Therapy High Sensitivity Troponin I
Please note that some of these tests can be drawn at other Corewell Hospital Lab locations within the system, but not all. Check the lab catalog for specific requirements for these tests (e.g., authorization needed, by appointment only, etc.). Ensure this information is communicated to your patients for whom these tests have been ordered.
The following information was updated in the Lab Catalog.
All changes are for Corewell Health Laboratories in Southwest and West Michigan. For Laboratories in Southeast Michigan, please visit: corewellhealth.org/labcatalog and navigate to the Southeast Michigan site.
Corewell Health Laboratories has discontinued routine Vitamin D testing via Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LAB1230925). The new test for diagnosing Vitamin D insufficiency and monitoring therapy is Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy (LAB1231583), performed daily using an in-house immunoassay method.
Vitamin D screening for deficiency/insufficiency will now be conducted via immunoassay. Current requests for Vitamin D2/D3 by Mass Spectrometry will be sent out.
For any questions or concerns, please contact the Corewell Health West Laboratory.
TEST INFORMATION
Discontinue: LAB1230925 25-Hydroxyvitamin D2 and D3, Serum
Replacement: LAB1231583 Vitamin D 25 Hydroxy