Blood Bank, Compliance & Safety, Corewell Health System

Reminder Pre‑Surgical Type & Screen Orders

When ordering a Pre‑surgical Type & Screen, all required order questions must be completed accurately. These answers drive specimen routing, collection timing, and blood bank workflow in Epic.

Epic uses your responses to ensure testing is performed by the correct blood bank at the correct time. Incomplete or incorrect information can result in misrouted specimens, delays, rework, or redraws.

Providers must accurately complete:

  • Reason for ordering (surgery, procedure, transfusion, L&D)
  • Procedure location
  • Date of procedure
  • Recent transfusion or pregnancy history

Key location clarification (West Michigan)

  • BW/HDVCH/LHCP/MHC refers to Butterworth Hospital, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Lemmen Holton Cancer Pavilion, and Meijer Heart Center and is NOT the same as Blodgett Hospital located in East Grand Rapids.
  • These are distinct locations in Epic and route to different blood banks (Blodgett Blood Bank vs. Butterworth Blood Bank)

Why it matters

Incorrect or incomplete responses can lead to:

  • Delayed pre‑op testing
  • Extra time spent clarifying procedure details
  • Specimens sent to the wrong blood bank
  • Frustration for lab and clinical teams

Takeaway

  • Answer all Type & Screen order questions carefully
  • Select the exact facility where the procedure will occur
  • Avoid defaults or outdated favorites

Taking a few extra seconds to review these fields helps ensure timely testing and smoother pre‑surgical care.

Epic Care Teams: Please review “Orders – Type & Screen Ordering for Surgery/Procedure (Pre-surgical blood type specimen)” in Epic Education on SharePoint for detailed information.

April 15, 2026 by
General Information

Updated: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Probe Panel by FISH

Effective 4/15/2026, in accordance with the 2024 American College of Medical Genetics and Genomic Technical Laboratory Standards, the Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Probe Panel by FISH will now include:

• -5/5q Deletion
• -7/7q Deletion
• RUNX1::RUNX1T1 t(8;21) Fusion
• NUP98 (11p15.4) Rearrangement
• KMT2A (MLL) (11q23) Rearrangement
• CBFB::MYH11 inv(16) and t(16;16) Fusion
• TP53 (17p13.1) Deletion

The panel will no longer include BCR::ABL t(9;22) and PML::RARA t(15;17). These tests may still be ordered independently.

Additional Resource Link: ACMG Technical Standard Section E6.1-6.6 of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) Technical Laboratory Standards: Cytogenomic studies of acquired chromosomal abnormalities in neoplastic blood, bone marrow, and lymph nodes (https://www.gimjournal.org/article/S1098-3600(23)01070-5/fulltext)

Epic Code: LAB2111348

April 6, 2026 by
General Information, Test Utilization

New PSA Screening Order Validation Rules

What’s Changing?

Beginning March 9, 2026, a new Order Validation Rules in Epic will apply to all PSA Screening orders. These rules act as hard stops and must be corrected before the order can be signed.

Applies to:

• Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), Screening [LAB116]

Epic will stop the order if:

Diagnosis Code Is Not Z12.5. Z12.5 (Screening for Prostate Cancer) is required for all PSA Screening orders.

Patient Is <40 Years Old With BCBS Coverage. BCBS does not cover PSA Screening for this group.

Patient Is <50 Years Old With Medicare / Medicare Advantage. Medicare does not deem PSA Screening medically necessary before age 50.

Screening Was Performed Within the Past 11 Months. Annual screening limits apply; users must change the expected date if needed.

Important for Providers Ordering Outside Epic

External practices will not see Epic’s validation warnings, but the draw site (phlebotomy team) will.

What Happens at the Draw Site?

If a paper/EMR PSA Screening order violates any rule:

1. Phlebotomy attempts to enter the order.
2. A hard stop fires in Epic.
3. The phlebotomist cannot override the alert.
4. The order cannot be placed, even with a signed requisition.
5. Staff will:

Inform the patient
Contact the ordering provider for correction
Hold the draw until the provider updates the order

This may require the patient to return if changes can’t be made immediately.

How Providers Can Prevent Delays

✔ Use Z12.5 for all PSA Screening orders
✔ Confirm age + insurance coverage requirements
✔ Ensure no PSA Screening has occurred in the past 11 months
✔ Order a diagnostic PSA instead of a screening when appropriate (symptoms, abnormal findings, ongoing monitoring)

 

 

March 26, 2026 by
Advanced Technology Laboratory

New Test Available: Myxoid Liposarcoma Panel by FISH

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Myxoid Liposarcoma Panel by Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH), now available for clinical ordering on Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue.

The Myxoid Liposarcoma Panel by FISH includes:

  • CHOP (DDIT3) (12q13) Rearrangement
  • FUS (16p11) Rearrangement

These probes may also be ordered individually.

Test Ordering Information

Questions? We’re Here to Help

For additional clinical details or follow-up questions regarding this test, please use the contact us link above.

March 10, 2026 by
Southwest Michigan, West Michigan

Testosterone Testing and Ordering Recommendations

Effective March 4, 2026, Corewell Health Laboratories in West Michigan will discontinue performing testosterone testing (LAB173 and LAB2111222) and Corewell Health Southwest Michigan will discontinue Testosterone Free and Total testing (LAB173)

The following replacements will be available as a send out to Quest Diagnostics:

⇒Testosterone, Total, MS – Epic Code: LAB1232313

⇒Testosterone, Free, Bioavailable and Total, MS – Epic Code: LAB1232237 Continue Reading

February 23, 2026 by
Corewell Health System, Emergency, Inpatient

New Test: Antiphospholipid Antibody Panel (Inpatient and Emergency Department)

Effective March 4, 2026, an Antiphospholipid Antibody Panel will be available for adult patients in the emergency, observation, and inpatient settings across the Corewell Health System.

This update is intended to streamline the ordering of appropriate hypercoagulation and thrombophilia testing in alignment with current evidence‑based best practices.

Continue Reading

February 10, 2026 by
Corewell Health System

Extreme Weather Specimen Handling

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.

January 30, 2026 by
Corewell Health System, Referral/Sendouts

Collection Update: Cortisol Saliva

As part of our ongoing transition to Quest Diagnostics as our primary reference laboratory, an update has been made to the saliva collection device used for cortisol testing.

Quick Reference

Test: Cortisol, LC/MS, Saliva [Epic: LAB1232015, Interface: 1232015]
Approved Device: BLUE TOP Salivette® Cortisol Tube
Previously Accepted: White top tube
Status of White Top Tubes: No longer accepted – will be rejected
Action: Discard or return white top tubes and reorder blue top tubes via your supply form

Continue Reading

January 23, 2026 by
Corewell Health System, Southeast Michigan, Southwest Michigan, West Michigan

Update on Corewell Health and Quest Diagnostics Joint Venture

Dear Valued Client:

We are pleased to announce that Corewell Health and Quest Diagnostics, a leading national laboratory company, have completed the formation of their laboratory services joint venture (JV) named Diagnostic Lab of Michigan, LLC.

This multifaceted collaboration will broaden access to innovative, high-value laboratory services for you and other providers in Michigan. Excitingly, work has begun on a new state-of-the-art laboratory in Southfield, Michigan, to service the JV. This laboratory will not be operational until the beginning of 2027. We will provide updates on the laboratory start date as work progresses.

Improving Access to Diagnostic Innovation in Michigan Over Time

Corewell Health and Quest Diagnostics share the goal to broaden access to quality, accessible and affordable laboratory services for providers and patients in Michigan. We expect Diagnostic Lab of Michigan to concentrate the shared resources and expertise of Corewell Health and Quest Diagnostics on improving access to diagnostic innovation in Michigan.

Over time, Diagnostic Lab of Michigan will provide several new benefits, including:

• Greater convenience for patients, as Corewell Health and Quest Diagnostics combine their patient service networks to reach more patients in Michigan.
• Michigan-grown diagnostic innovation, including through automation in the new laboratory.
• Broad health plan access to support patient affordability.

Your current Corewell Health Lab Account Representative will continue supporting you as part of the new joint venture laboratory. If you have questions, please contact Matt Boring, Sales Director, 248-345-5604.

We appreciate your business and look forward to the continuation of high-quality laboratory services for our patients, providers and communities.

Sincerely,

Sarah Britton
Vice President, Laboratory Services
Corewell Health

Corewell Letter to Clients Close

January 6, 2026 by