Extreme Weather conditions adversely affect specimen integrity. Corewell Laboratory is committed to working with you to maintain specimen integrity during extreme conditions.
Exposing specimens to extreme temperatures can have a negative impact on patient results. We suggest that if the office pickup time is greater than one hour from the time the samples are being placed in the lockbox, you consider protecting the samples with some sort of insulated material.
Below are some steps to take in preparing specimens for lockbox pickup during extreme conditions.
• If the lockbox is not permanently affixed outside and is exposed to the elements, move it inside daily when arriving at the office in the morning. This will keep the lockbox temperature regulated and protected from extreme temperatures.
• For lockboxes permanently mounted outdoors and exposed to the elements, please keep specimens inside the office until either 15 minutes before scheduled pickup or leaving for the day.
• If it will not affect specimen integrity or patient care, please consider holding the specimen until the following day.
• Utilize draw centers (patient service centers) for specimen collection.
For questions regarding the best way to maintain the integrity of your samples and test information, please contact your Laboratory Sales Representative or laboratory customer services.
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.