Effective February 24, 2021, Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Xanthochromia results of “Present” will be considered a critical laboratory value.
This change was approved by the MEC and driven by a collaboration between neurology and laboratory departments to assist in expediting the diagnosis and management of patients with possible subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).
The Spectrum Health Regional Laboratory Coagulation Department will be going live with the Helena AggRam analyzer on February 3, 2021. This analyzer uses platelet rich plasma to analyze human platelet aggregation which is measured by absorbance. The following aggregating agents are used in these studies: Arachidonic Acid, ADP, Collagen, Epinephrine, and Ristocetin.
Patients for platelet aggregation studies should be resting, fasting, and non-smoking. Patients should avoid taking any prescription or over the counter medications known to affect platelet function for ten (10) days to two (2) weeks prior to the studies. For a list of medications known to have anti-platelet effects, click here.
Effective December 9, 2020, the following insect allergen components will be available:
◊ Allergen Honey Bee Component Panel – EPIC #LAB1230747, Interface #1230747, CPT 86008
◊ Allergen Common Wasp (Yellow Jacket) Component Panel – EPIC #LAB1230752, Interface #1230752, CPT 86008
◊ Allergen Paper Wasp Component rPol d 5 – EPIC #LAB1230754, Interface #1230754, CPT 86008
◊ Cross-reactive Carbohydrate Determinant (CCD) – EPIC #LAB1230755, Interface #1230755, CPT 86008
To maintain optimal specimen integrity, Spectrum Health Laboratory requests that you load your outdoor lock box properly for winter weather temperatures. Please follow the diagram on the right to prevent freezing of specimens.
Frozen specimen should never be left in the lock box for after-hours pickup. These tests may be better preserved in the office freezer until the next day’s courier pickup.
Request for specimen pickup should be made to the Laboratory Call Center at 616.774.7721.
Effective immediately there has been an update to scheduling breath testing. Both the Bacterial Overgrowth and Lactose Intolerance breath tests must be scheduled through Epic or via Spectrum Health MyChart app.
Effective September 28th, 2020, a new generation of the serum kappa/lambda free light chain assay has been implemented.
With the implementation of the new generation of the assay there is an approximately 20% negative bias for kappa free light chains in serum containing >20 mg/dL kappa free light chain. This may affect the trending for patient who are serially monitored by this assay.
As of August 26, 2020, the following tests will be obsoleted or made as lab orderables only. This was implemented to streamline protein electrophoresis orders and ensure that patients receive the recommended testing for the assessment of plasma cell proliferative diseases.
In addition to streamlining protein electrophoresis orders, order questions have been implemented to the available tests to access the reason for ordering to ensure that the proper reflex testing is applied.
For more information, see the lab test directory under the available tests for a protein electrophoresis orders tip sheet entitled “Orders- Protein Orderable Changes”