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Laboratory Services

East, Emergency, Inpatient, South, West

De-Implementation of Fecal Occult Blood Testing: Adult Emergency Room (ED) and Inpatient

Effective October 1, 2025, Fecal Occult Blood Testing (FOBT) will be unavailable for ordering in adult ED and inpatient units.

Fecal Occult Blood Testing (FOBT) is frequently performed in the ED and inpatient units of Corewell Health hospitals. Evidence supports that this testing is not appropriate for evaluation of acute or chronic GI bleeding. The use of fecal occult blood testing for indications outside of colorectal cancer screening is considered low-value and unnecessary. Utilizing this testing inappropriately results in increased lab costs, potential for unnecessary consults and procedures, delays in diagnosis, and increased length of stay (LOS).

FOBT supplies will be removed from unit stock. Orders will be restricted and removed from relevant order sets. Areas impacted include all adult ER and inpatient spaces, in all three regions, beginning with inpatient units (Helen Devos and Corewell Children’s Hospitals are excluded at this time).

Please refrain from initiating FOBT orders and use alternative assessment methods as needed.

For questions, please reach out to your unit leadership or clinical education team.

TEST INFORMATION:

  • Occult Blood, CRC Screening [LAB1230599]
  • Occult Blood, FIT Diagnostic Stool [LAB1230898]
  • Occult Blood Screen, Stool [LAB695]
  • Occult Blood Diagnostic, Stool [LAB2111554]
September 15, 2025 by
General Information

Test Update: Drug Screening Updates

Effective September 3, 2025, Drug Screen with Alcohol and Drug Screen without Alcohol will be discontinued for inpatient testing. The replacement test would be Drug Screen, Immunoassay, Urine [LAB677] for ED and inpatient.
Drug Screen Toxicology, Immunoassay, Urine [LAB3227] is available for outpatient testing.
For any questions or concerns, please contact your account manager or use the contact us link above.

Test Information

Discontinued Tests:
  • Drug Screen with Alcohol, Immunoassay, Urine [LAB2111694]
  • Drug Screen without Alcohol, Immunoassay, Urine [LAB2111041]
August 28, 2025 by
General Information

MRSA PCR: Updated indications for ordering

Effective Date: September 3, 2025

The MRSA Screen PCR [LAB1231076] detects the presence or absence of colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and may be used to guide antimicrobial prophylaxis decisions. To improve and standardize test utilization across all Corewell Health regions, the following restrictions will be added to this test order:

  • Ordering will be restricted to one test every 7 days.
  • An indication for ordering must be provided for each order. Acceptable indications are:
    • Pneumonia
    • Skin and soft tissue (use for non-purulent infections)
    • Surgical prophylaxis

Studies have shown that there is minimal utility in re-testing within 2 weeks as MRSA conversion rates are low and the PCR negative predictive values remain high for at least 14 days after initial testing.

Absence of nasal colonization with MRSA cannot be used to reliably rule out MRSA infection in scenarios other than those listed above.

Test Information

MRSA Screen PCR [LAB1231076]

August 20, 2025 by
Hematology

Hematology Testing Updates (Corewell Health West Michigan)

Effective Wednesday, July 30, 2025, changes to result reporting will be implemented across all Hematology Departments at Corewell Health Laboratories. These updates will help align all regions within Corewell Health Hematology Departments to provide a high-quality and standardize patient care experience.

The following are the most impactful changes for the Corewell Health West Michigan Region: Continue Reading

July 18, 2025 by
General Information

Test Update: PD-L1

Effective July 30, 2025, PD-L1 testing will be performed at Corewell Health Reference Laboratory East and will no longer be a sendout to Neogenomics. Collection instructions and other information may have changed, please visit the lab catalog for more information.

For questions and inquiries, please use the “Contact Us” link above.

 

TEST INFORMATION

New test: PD-L1 [LAB3658]

Former test: PD-L1 to Neogenomics (LAB848)

July 18, 2025 by