Chemistry, Compliance & Safety

Parathyroid Hormone Corrections

An equipment issue resulted in artificially high parathyroid hormone results for some patients from July 31- August 17, 2024. We have repeated testing on the potentially affected samples, corrections were made as necessary, and providers for the impacted patients have been notified.

Review of quality indicator data suggested that issue affecting the results began July 31. Not all patient values were affected, but those that were had artificially high values. The laboratory repeated all PTH testing from this instrument for which remaining sample was available, corrected results, and contacted providers via epic inbox message for CHW providers and other appropriate means for CHW affiliates and external providers whose lab work is performed at CHW in Grand Rapids. Providers of potentially impacted patients whose samples could not be repeated have also been notified.

Recommendations Continue Reading

August 22, 2024 by
General Information

Supply Change Notification: STI Testing

Beginning August 26, 2024, Corewell Health Laboratories (West and South) will begin updating instrumentation for STI and HPV testing. Aptima collection devices will no longer be available except for pediatric patients under 14 years old.

To order the new swabs:

  • Corewell Health and CHMG, please order via Workday ITM-1190747 as you run out of Aptima devices until the cutover date. (August 26th for West, late September for South)
  • Independent Offices or other non-Corewell Health Sites, please use the Supply Form and continue to order STD multi-collection kit or ThinPrep Pap Container.

Please use for pediatric patients or discard any unused APTIMA kits. Please review the link below for images:

Supply Change Alinity Aptima

August 15, 2024 by
Advanced Technology Laboratory, Cytology, Education & Training, Referral/Sendouts

New Test: HPV High Risk Screen with HPV Genotype Reflex

Effective August 26, 2024,  Corewell Health Laboratories West will be updating their High-Risk HPV testing.  The new assay will be performed on the Abbott Alinity m at Corewell Health Reference Laboratory West, Grand Rapids.  Testing will now automatically include HPV Genotype results whenever HPV is detected.  There will no longer be a separate charge to the patient for HPV Genotype testing.

There will also be an expanded number of High-Risk HPV Genotypes reported:

  • HPV Genotype 16
  • HPV Genotype 18
  • HPV Genotype 45
  • HPV Genotype 31/33/52/58
  • HPV Genotype 35/39/51/56/59/66/68

The new assay is FDA approved for Primary screening in addition to co-testing.

Post hysterectomy vaginal specimens will still be a send out test (LAB1230722). Continue Reading

August 13, 2024 by
General Information

APTT DTI Now Available at West Michigan Hospital Laboratories

Effective May 22, 2024, APTT Direct Thrombin Inhibitor (APTT DTI) will be performed at all Corewell Health West sites including Corewell Health Reference Laboratory and all regional labs (Corewell Health Big Rapids Hospital, Corewell Health Gerber Hospital, Corewell Health Grand Rapids Hospitals (Blodgett Hospital, Butterworth Hospital, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital), Corewell Health Greenville Hospital, Corewell Health Ludington Hospital, Corewell Health Pennock Hospital, Corewell Health Reed City Hospital, Corewell Health Zeeland Hospital).

The APTT DTI is a clot based assay for monitoring the APTT in patients on direct thrombin inhibitors including Argatroban, Dabigatran, and Bivalrudin.  This testing is for inpatient use only. The reference range for this assay is analyzer specific and is listed in the lab catalog (Current reference ranges: Corewell Health Reference Laboratory 23-28 seconds and Regional laboratories 24-34 seconds) Continue Reading

May 21, 2024 by
Test Utilization

Influenza Testing Update: April 2024

This winter, West Michigan influenza infections peaked in February 2024 and significantly declined throughout March and April 2024. Now with a low prevalence of circulating influenza, using the most sensitive diagnostic test is recommended in order to obtain accurate and actionable results. Influenza antigen testing (e.g. Sofia instrument) is no longer appropriate at this time and Influenza PCR testing should be ordered when clinically indicated.

 

Low Influenza
Prevalence		 High Influenza
Prevalence
Recommended Order Influenza PCR (LAB3255) Influenza antigen testing (e.g. Sofia instrument)
or
Influenza PCR (LAB3255)

More detailed information can be found as published by the CDC:

Algorithm to assist in the interpretation of influenza testing results and clinical decision-making during periods when influenza viruses are NOT circulating in the community, and in previous lab newsletters: Influenza Diagnosis and Test Utilization

April 30, 2024 by
Main lab, Microbiology, Referral/Sendouts

Measles Ordering and Collecting Specimens

With several suspected cases of measles within Michigan, we thought it would be an excellent time to highlight Corewell Health West’s guidance on testing suspected patients. Specimens are sent to a reference lab for testing, which must be coordinated with local public health departments. Typically an upper-respiratory swab (throat or nasopharyngeal)  is collected for PCR testing in addition to a serum for measles IgM if collection is possible.

  • Patients should not be directed to a Corewell Health Laboratory or other healthcare facility for serum collection if patient is within 4 days after the onset of rash (with onset of rash considered to be Day 0). If Day 5 of rash or later, immunocompetent patients are no longer considered contagious and may be sent to a laboratory for a serum draw.
  • Corewell Health Providers:
    • Please reach out to Corewell Health Infection Prevention (IP) via Perfect Serve to make them aware of the situation.
    • Corewell Health Infection Prevention will contact the appropriate county.
  • Non-Corewell Health Facilities:
    • The provider’s office must coordinate with the county health department that the patient lives in to obtain permission to send measles testing.
    • Visit the following link for county health department contact information: Slide 1 (michigan.gov)
      • The county will coordinate with MDHHS for testing permission.

The preferred testing specimen is a throat or nasopharyngeal swab collected in office. Corewell Health Laboratories do not collect swabs.​

For further collection and ordering instructions, please visit: Measles PCR – Laboratory Test Catalog | West

Any additional questions or concerns, please use the contact us link above or reach out to your local health department.

April 11, 2024 by