The following information was updated in the Spectrum Health Laboratory Catalog.
supply change
Supply Change Notification: 4.5 mL Blue Citrate Blood Tubes
Effective April 26th, 2021, Spectrum Health Laboratories will discontinue 4.5 mL blue citrate blood tubes. These are a vendor discontinued item. The replacement item will be the 2.7 mL blue citrate blood tubes.
Due to this change, there may be a difference in the number of tubes required to collect for the lab tests below. Please refer to the lab catalog for specimen collection requirements.
If you are collecting COVID-19 swabs in your office or clinic, please order and collect using the saline swab kits (“liquid media” or “wet collection”) instead of the tube with no liquid media (“dry collection”).
• Liquid media swab kits will provide a faster turn-around time.
• Dry collection kits supplies are low.
Please refer to the COVID-19 PCR test in the Lab Catalog for the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 collection.
Preservative For 24 Hour Urine Collections
In both the inpatient and outpatient settings, the laboratory has supplied 24 hour urine containers with preservative such as acetic acid, sodium hydroxide, and boric acid. Upon review of specimen stability requirements, it has been determined that a preservative is not needed prior to collection of most 24 hour urine tests as long as the 24 hour container is kept refrigerated or on ice during the collection period.