General Information, Immunochemistry, Main lab, Test Utilization

Protein Electrophoresis Testing Update

In December, serum and urine protein electrophoresis testing will be simplified and standardized.  The only testing available will be:

Protein electrophoresis, serum, IFE if indicated 

Protein electrophoresis, random urine, do IFE if indicated 

Protein electrophoresis, 24 hour urine, do IFE if indicated 

In addition, on December 5, 2019, a new panel will be added which reflects expert recommendations for first line testing for monoclonal gammopathy, including plasma cell myeloma and most cases of amyloidosis, called “Monoclonal Gammopathy Screen”

Protein electrophoresis, serum, IFE if indicated 

Kappa and lambda free light chains  Continue Reading

November 22, 2019 by
General Information

Laboratory Order Validity Update

Spectrum Health Laboratory has updated its policy regarding expected date. For those providers that send an expected date of draw with your electronic order to our laboratory, there was a change on April 24, 2019 for Epic Providers and there will be a change on May 13, 2019 for EMR interface offices. From these dates forward, if you send us an expected date of draw, our phlebotomists will draw up to 14 days before your expected date and anytime thereafter until the order expires.  If we do not receive an expected date of draw, we will treat the order as ready to collect from the day it arrives till one year out, when it expires.  All Laboratory orders, including standing or future orders, are valid up to 400 days unless otherwise specified. Continue Reading

May 9, 2019 by
Chemistry, Compliance & Safety, Education & Training, General Information, Referral/Sendouts

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. Continue Reading

April 1, 2019 by
General Information

Winter Lockbox Tips!

march-winter-lockboxTo maintain optimal specimen integrity, Corewell Health Laboratories West requests that you load your lockbox properly for winter weather temperatures. Please follow the diagram on the right to prevent freezing of specimens.

Frozen specimen should not be left in the lockbox for after-hours pickup. These tests may be better preserved in the office freezer until the next day’s courier pickup.

Request for specimen pickups in the West Michigan area should be made to the Laboratory Call Center at 616.774.7721.

November 7, 2018 by
Microbiology, Test Utilization

Helicobacter pylori Diagnosis – Serologic Testing is no Longer Recommended

Overview

Clinical guidelines no longer recommend serologic testing as a method for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. Rather than IgG serology testing, other non-invasive testing methods such as H. pylori stool antigen and urea breath tests may be used to both diagnose and monitor response to therapy for H. pylori infection. In anticipation of an increase in stool antigen testing, currently a reference lab send-out test, Spectrum Health Regional Laboratory (SHRL) will be implementing this test as of October 29, 2018. By offering this test in-house, results will typically be available one day faster than present state. Continue Reading

October 23, 2018 by