On Monday, November 20, 2023, Corewell Health Laboratories West will adjust several hematology result components units of measure. The numerical results will be unchanged, the metric units will be adjusted to achieve standardization across the system and will align our labs with the International Society of Laboratory Hematology’s recommendations for standardization of hematology reporting units in blood counts.
The following parameter will be adjusted because of this change:
The following information was updated in the Lab Catalog.
The following information was updated in the Lab Catalog.
Effective Monday, October 2, 2023, the Outpatient Lab Draw Sites in Kent, Ottawa, and Muskegon counties (excluding the Zeeland Hospital and Gerber Hospital sites) will begin a new process for walk-in patients.
Registration staff will begin informing the patient of their wait times based on the scheduling template available for that site for that day. This will allow the patient to make an informed decision on whether to wait, come back at a later time, or schedule an appointment time that works best for them. Patients choosing to schedule, may schedule for any available sites, times and dates in MyChart, or they may schedule with the registrar for the next 24-48 hours. (Note: lab staff does not have the ability to schedule patients.)
Additionally, at this time, Blodgett Outpatient Lab is temporarily closed until further notice. Sites closest to Blodgett are the Integrated Care Campus at 426 Michigan St NE, 4100 Lake Drive, and Integrated Care Campus at 2750 East Beltline, or patients may visit Find a Doctor | Corewell Health to find a lab location nearest to them.
Effective October 3, 2023, Corewell Health Laboratories will discontinue the Influenza Rapid and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Rapid tests. These antigen tests are less sensitive than the nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT; such as PCR) that are now the standard of care for diagnosing these respiratory viruses. Specimen collection remains unchanged with PCR testing available for nasopharyngeal and nasal swabs collected in a universal transport media (UTM) tube.
Discontinued:
• Influenza (Flu) A/B Rapid – Epic Code: LAB9240
• Influenza (Flu) A/B Rapid, Influenza A/B PCR if Negative – Epic Code: LAB2111530
• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Rapid – Epic Code: LAB495
Replace with:
• Influenza (Flu) A/B PCR – Epic Code: LAB3255
• COVID-19, Influenza A/B, RSV PCR – Epic Code: LAB1230746
Effective October 3, 2023, the orderable Complete Blood Count (CBC) with Manual Differential [LAB2111032] will be discontinued and Manual Differential, Blood [LAB815] will be made a Lab Only Orderable.
Effective September 13, 2023, Corewell Health Laboratory will discontinue the Chlamydia Culture orderable. For patients 14 years of age and older, please order Chlamydia PCR.
• This specimen can be either a swab (genital, rectal, or throat) or a urine sample.
• The collection container is the STD-Multi-Collection Kit.
• For more information please visit: Chlamydia PCR
For patients that are under 14 years of age, a “Reference Miscellaneous Test” [LAB 848], must be ordered.
• This specimen can be either a swab (genital, rectal, or throat) or a urine sample.
• The collection container is the Aptima
• For more information please visit: APTIMA Chlamydia, NAAT, ThinPrep, Swab, Urine
As a reminder, PCR testing is also preferred for gonorrhea, when the specimen types are compatible.