Browsing Tag

CHW

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: Vitamin D Testing Via Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LAB1230925)

Corewell Health Laboratories has discontinued routine Vitamin D testing via Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LAB1230925). The new test for diagnosing Vitamin D insufficiency and monitoring therapy is Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy (LAB1231583), performed daily using an in-house immunoassay method.

Vitamin D screening for deficiency/insufficiency will now be conducted via immunoassay. Current requests for Vitamin D2/D3 by Mass Spectrometry will be sent out.

For any questions or concerns, please contact the Corewell Health West Laboratory.

 

TEST INFORMATION

Discontinue: LAB1230925 25-Hydroxyvitamin D2 and D3, Serum

Replacement: LAB1231583 Vitamin D 25 Hydroxy

June 27, 2025 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