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General Information

Compliance & Safety, Education & Training, General Information

Tips for Home Collection

From collection to transport, Spectrum Health Laboratories must have quality specimens to produce accurate results you can trust. A quality specimen is one that has been collected and transported, keeping specimen integrity and patient identification intact. It is important to remind patients to carefully follow all collection and transportation instructions to ensure the sample usable and not tainted.

Please help remind patients:

♦ Submit all specimens as soon as collection is completed. Many tests are time sensitive.

♦ After collection, make sure lid is secured and fastened evenly, as leaky specimens will be rejected.

♦ Keep the container upright at all times.

♦ If a second container is needed, the patient should obtain a second container from the laboratory or draw site. Do not use home containers (i.e. butter container) or bags, as these may contaminate the specimen.

♦ Specimen is labeled clearly with

◊ Patient’s full legal name

◊ Date of birth

◊ Date and time of collection

Warning: Some kits contain preservatives. Please let patients know to not drink, ingest or inhale fumes. If disposal is needed please contact the laboratory.  In case of skin or eye contact, irritation, or swallowing call poison control as soon as possible: 800.222.1222.

For more information, please review “Laboratory Specimen Home Collection Document” or the Lab Catalog for more information.

General Information

Positive COVID-19 PCR Communications

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic Spectrum Health Laboratory implemented a protocol to call providers and patients to notify of positive COVID-19 PCR testing.  The pandemic has shifted to an endemic phase and a positive COVID-19 test is no longer considered a critical value. Effective Friday, August 26, 2022, Spectrum Health Laboratory will no longer call positive COVID-19 PCR testing, for inpatient or outpatient specimens.

Results for COVID-19 PCR will still file to the patient’s chart in Epic and reported to the ordering provider through usual means of receiving results (fax or electronic) and to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). Patient’s will still be notified via their MyChart as well.

If you have any questions or concerns, please use the “contact us” link above.

Microbiology, Test Utilization

Enteric Pathogens PCR Panel: New Order Criteria

The Enteric Pathogens PCR test performed by Spectrum Health Laboratory may be used to detect common pathogenic bacteria and viruses in stool collected from individuals with symptoms of gastrointestinal infection. Specifically, this test detects Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio, Yersinia enterocolitica, Norovirus, Rotavirus, and the Shiga toxin virulence factor. Effective August 17, 2022, Spectrum Health’s Epic EMR will contain new ask-at-order questions to help improve the clinical decision support and appropriate utilization of this testing. Continue Reading

General Information, Toxicology

Updates to Blood Lead Reporting

As of July 19, 2022, in alignment with recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the reference range for blood lead testing has been updated from 5 mcg/dL to 3.5 mcg/dL.

This applies to both: Lead, Blood Level [LAB98] and Lead Screen Filter Paper [LAB2111119].

In addition, at this time the low end of reporting for Lead Screen Filter Paper [LAB2111119] has increased from 1 mcg/dL to 2 mcg/dL. Continue Reading