The following information was updated in the Lab Catalog.
All changes are for Corewell Health Laboratories West.
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Effective May 22, 2024, APTT Direct Thrombin Inhibitor (APTT DTI) will be performed at all Corewell Health West sites including Corewell Health Reference Laboratory and all regional labs (Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital, Corewell Health Gerber Hospital, Corewell Health Grand Rapids Hospitals (Blodgett Hospital, Butterworth Hospital, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital), Corewell Health Greenville Hospital, Corewell Health Ludington Hospital, Corewell Health Pennock Hospital, Corewell Health Reed City Hospital, Corewell Health Zeeland Hospital).
The APTT DTI is a clot based assay for monitoring the APTT in patients on direct thrombin inhibitors including Argatroban, Dabigatran, and Bivalrudin. This testing is for inpatient use only. The reference range for this assay is analyzer specific and is listed in the lab catalog (Current reference ranges: Corewell Health Reference Laboratory 23-28 seconds and Regional laboratories 24-34 seconds)
The following information was updated in the Lab Catalog.
All changes are for Corewell Health Laboratories West.
This winter, West Michigan influenza infections peaked in February 2024 and significantly declined throughout March and April 2024. Now with a low prevalence of circulating influenza, using the most sensitive diagnostic test is recommended in order to obtain accurate and actionable results. Influenza antigen testing (e.g. Sofia instrument) is no longer appropriate at this time and Influenza PCR testing should be ordered when clinically indicated.
| Low Influenza Prevalence |
High Influenza Prevalence |
|
| Recommended Order | Influenza PCR (LAB3255) | Influenza antigen testing (e.g. Sofia instrument) or Influenza PCR (LAB3255) |
More detailed information can be found as published by the CDC:
With several suspected cases of measles within Michigan, we thought it would be an excellent time to highlight Corewell Health West’s guidance on testing suspected patients. Specimens are sent to a reference lab for testing, which must be coordinated with local public health departments. Typically an upper-respiratory swab (throat or nasopharyngeal) is collected for PCR testing in addition to a serum for measles IgM if collection is possible.
- Patients should not be directed to a Corewell Health Laboratory or other healthcare facility for serum collection if patient is within 4 days after the onset of rash (with onset of rash considered to be Day 0). If Day 5 of rash or later, immunocompetent patients are no longer considered contagious and may be sent to a laboratory for a serum draw.
- Corewell Health Providers:
- Please reach out to Corewell Health Infection Prevention (IP) via Perfect Serve to make them aware of the situation.
- Corewell Health Infection Prevention will contact the appropriate county.
- Non-Corewell Health Facilities:
- The provider’s office must coordinate with the county health department that the patient lives in to obtain permission to send measles testing.
- Visit the following link for county health department contact information: Slide 1 (michigan.gov)
- The county will coordinate with MDHHS for testing permission.
The preferred testing specimen is a throat or nasopharyngeal swab collected in office. Corewell Health Laboratories do not collect swabs.
For further collection and ordering instructions, please visit: Measles PCR – Laboratory Test Catalog | West
Any additional questions or concerns, please use the contact us link above or reach out to your local health department.
The following information was updated in the Lab Catalog.
All changes are for Corewell Health Laboratories West.
Effective Thursday, April 18, 2024, Corewell Health Laboratory will discontinue the send out test Hepatitis A IgG Antibody, Serum (Mayo Test ID: HAIGG). This test has been made obsolete by Mayo Clinic Laboratories. We recommend to our healthcare providers the following in-house testing:
1.Hepatitis A Total Antibody (LAB1230596): intended for the clinical laboratory diagnosis of acute or past hepatitis A virus infection in persons with signs or symptoms of hepatitis and in persons at increased risk for hepatitis A infection, to identify HAV susceptible individuals and to determine the presence of an antibody response to HAV in vaccine recipients.
2.Hepatitis A Antibody, IgM (LAB7980): intended for use as an aid in the laboratory diagnosis of an acute or recently acquired hepatitis A virus infection.
The following information was updated in the Lab Catalog.