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Laboratory Services

Pathology Narratives Release Hold Removed for Weekends and Holidays

Effective July 1, 2021, Pathology and Radiology Result Narratives will no longer be held on weekends and holidays. All finalized result narratives will be released at 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. daily. This adjustment aligns with the 21st Century Cures Act and corresponding CMS mandate to allow data to flow freely and securely between providers, payers, and patients.

Of note, patients may be able to see results in MyChart prior to a provider seeing the results. Ordering providers should consider discussing potential outcomes with patients to prepare patients for results. Results should only be held if releasing the result puts the patient at risk of physical harm, or the patient requests the information not be shared.

More information related to the 21st Century Cures Act and established interoperability requirements can be found on the Information Governance Insite page (Internal). Contact Information Governance at InformationGovernance@spectrumhealth.org with any questions or use the Contact Us link above.

June 23, 2021 by Laboratory Services

Blood Bank, Compliance & Safety, General Information, Hemostasis/Coagulation, Referral/Sendouts, Test Utilization

Coagulation Blue Top Tube Shortage

There is currently a national shortage of sodium citrate (“blue top”) blood collection tubes used for coagulation testing as a result of unprecedented demand, in part due to COVID-19 surges, vaccine and treatment development. This is anticipated to last through August 2021. Please take this into consideration when ordering coagulation testing (i.e. Protime, aPTT, Fibrinogen, D-dimer, Lupus Screens, Factor Assays, Mixing Studies, von Willebrand testing, etc.).

Here are additional steps you can take to help:

• Eliminate collection of extra blue top tubes

• Discontinue standing orders for coagulation tests, when possible

• Avoid the use of coagulation tubes as discard tubes

• Please refrain from ordering Lupus Screens ( LAB478) when patients are actively taking non vitamin K antagonists, including apixaban, dabigatran, and rivaroxaban. They have a significant impact on clot-based coagulation testing. It is best to carry these tests out prior to drug administration or during a trough setting.

• Reduce cancelled specimens by making sure to collect specimens correctly by using the lab catalog for specimen collection instructions.

Thank you for your help during this exceptional time.

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

June 10, 2021 by Laboratory Services

Chemistry, Compliance & Safety, General Information, Hematology, Hemostasis/Coagulation, Microbiology, Referral/Sendouts

CSF Priorities on QNS Specimens

When a Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimen arrives into the laboratory and is deemed Quantity Not Sufficient (QNS) for ordered testing, the ordering provider is contacted to identify testing priorities. Occasionally, the laboratory is unable to secure these priorities.

If the lab is unable to secure priorities from the ordering provider within an hour of collection, the following will occur:

1. We will move forward with the Cell count with differential, Culture, and Protein/Glucose

2. The rest of the ordered testing will hold until we can clarify the priorities

Laboratory is partnering with Epic Beaker to discover if a prioritization of orders, upon CSF order entry, is possible.

If you have questions or concerns, please use the “Contact Us” link above.

June 9, 2021 by Laboratory Services

General Information

Temporary Closure: Lab Draw Site – Evart

Beginning June 7th the draw site located at 5991 95th Ave, Evart, MI 49631 will be closed due to remodeling. The site is expected to reopen July 12th.

Site information: Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital – Lab at 5991 95th Ave

Alternative Spectrum Health lab draw site locations:

• Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital – Lab

• Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital – Lab

• List of other sites

June 3, 2021 by Laboratory Services

General Information

Specimen Collection Updates – May 2021

The following information was updated in the Spectrum Health Laboratory Catalog.

Test Updates:

LAB3389 – Unfractionated Heparin Level – Laboratory retention updated from 2 months to 24 hours.
LAB316 – Low Molecular Weight Heparin – Laboratory retention updated from 2 months to 24 hours.
LAB3540 – IFA ANA – Laboratory retention updated from 30 days to 7 days.
LAB306 – Factor VIII Activity – Transport temperature updated.
LAB1230757 – Tryptase – Laboratory retention updated from 7 days to 30 days
LAB1230566 – Aptima STI Panel – Test frequency updated: Chlamydia, Gonococcus, and Trichomonas available Monday through Friday, usual turn-around time 1 to 2 days. Mycoplasma only ran on Fridays, usually turn-around time is 1 to 2 days.
LAB1230560 – Aptima Mycoplasma Genitalium (MGen) – Test frequency updated: Only ran on Fridays

Document Updates:

New Tests

LAB1230829 – MRSA Screen PCR (Inpatient Only)

Discontinued Tests

LAB1230032 – Glucose Random Urine – Replace with LAB1230822 – Glucose Random Urine
LAB396 – Glucose 24 Hour Urine – No replacement test

June 1, 2021 by Laboratory Services

Referral/Sendouts

Laboratory Holiday Hours

Please read below for holiday hours for the following departments in the Laboratory:

Referrals Department (Spectrum Health Regional Laboratory, Grand Rapids)
Outpatient Draw Sites (Outpatient Phlebotomy)
Flow Cytometry Laboratory (Advanced Technology Laboratory, Grand Rapids)

May 26, 2021 by Laboratory Services

Referral/Sendouts

Test Update: Myasthenia Gravis

Mayo Clinic recently completed a four-year review of Myasthenia Gravis serum evaluations and will be implementing changes to our testing algorithm.
Continue Reading

May 3, 2021 by Laboratory Services

Hemostasis/Coagulation, Referral/Sendouts

Supply Change Notification: 4.5 mL Blue Citrate Blood Tubes

Effective April 26th, 2021, Spectrum Health Laboratories will discontinue 4.5 mL blue citrate blood tubes. These are a vendor discontinued item. The replacement item will be the 2.7 mL blue citrate blood tubes.

Due to this change, there may be a difference in the number of tubes required to collect for the lab tests below. Please refer to the lab catalog for specimen collection requirements. Continue Reading

April 23, 2021 by Laboratory Services

Advanced Technology Laboratory, General Information, Main lab

Update: COVID-19 Swab Supplies

If you are collecting COVID-19 swabs in your office or clinic, please order and collect using the saline swab kits (“liquid media” or “wet collection”) instead of the tube with no liquid media (“dry collection”).

• Liquid media swab kits will provide a faster turn-around time.

• Dry collection kits supplies are low.

Please refer to the COVID-19 PCR test in the Lab Catalog for the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 collection.

• COVID-19 PCR Swab – LAB1230607

April 8, 2021 by Laboratory Services

Compliance & Safety, General Information

Inform: Interoperability and Information Blocking

The 21st Century Cures Act and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) Final Rule states that Spectrum Health cannot engage in practices that interfere with access, exchange, or use of electronic health information (EHI), otherwise known as Information Blocking, unless a specific Information Blocking exception applies. Continue Reading

March 29, 2021 by Laboratory Services

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