Spectrum Health has been informed by Roche Diagnostics that the proprietary reagents used to calibrate our instruments and determine control values for ferritin blood level have been updated to reflect deviation of results leading to low result bias. This may have led to patient results being up to 20% lower than actual ferritin level.
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Chemistry, Compliance & Safety, General Information
Reference Range Update – OB Magnesium, Blood Level
Effective immediately, the OB Magnesium (Mg) reference range has been updated from 1.6 to 2.5 mg/dL to 4.8 to 8.0 mg/dL, to reflect the correct therapeutic range for patients receiving magnesium sulfate therapy. The non-OB magnesium reference range is unchanged.
Please direct questions and inquiries to Dr. Jennifer Stumph via the Contact Us link above.
TEST INFORMATION
OB Magnesium, Blood Level – Epic code #LAB3400, Interface code #11703, CPT code #83735
Effective August 8th, Spectrum Health Laboratory will ask all patients to indicate how long they have been fasting (regardless of whether they were fasting or not) when they present for Lipid testing. In light of recent discussions in the literature that debate the utility of fasting prior to lipid testing; we recognize that some clinicians may now not require their patients to be fasting and hope that reporting out length of fasting (hours) with each lipid result will allow all clinicians to better interpret their patient’s lipid results. If fasting is desired; Spectrum Health Laboratory recommends no caloric or caffeine intake for at least 8 hours. The patient is not to drink (other than water), eat, smoke, chew gum, candy, cough drops, etc. for at least 8 hours prior to their blood tests. Prescribed medications are allowed.
As of March 1, 2016, Spectrum Health Laboratory, Grand Rapids, will no longer draw or send a courier for outpatient Ammonia testing (#8074). If outpatient Ammonia testing is needed, the patient must be collected at the 35 Michigan Draw Site. If outpatient Ammonia testing is needed and the patient cannot be drawn at the 35 Michigan Draw Site, approval must be obtained from Dr. David Alter or the Clinical Pathologist on-call, prior to ordering the test.
There will be no changes to inpatient collection. Note: Inpatients are patients who have been admitted to a hospital in the Medical Center (HDVCH, Butterworth, and Meijer Heart Center) or Blodgett Hospital.
Any questions concerning these changes may be directed to the Pathology Department using the Contact Us link above.