Effective 10/01/2025, Apixaban level testing will be available at Corewell Health Reference Laboratory West.
Laboratory Services
Specimen Collection and Test Updates – August 2025
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.
Test Information
- Drug Screen with Alcohol, Immunoassay, Urine [LAB2111694]
- Drug Screen without Alcohol, Immunoassay, Urine [LAB2111041]
Please review the following letter regarding Corewell Health and Quest Diagnostics decision to Enter into Joint Venture:
Corewell Health Letter to Existing Clients
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.
Updated 11/2025 – We’ve updated our Billing Brief on Syphilis Antibody Testing to reflect recent changes from Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS).
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:
