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Family Medicine

Chemistry, Test Spotlight

Reminder: Folate Test and Fasting

Folate (aka Folic Acid) is a test that requires the patient to be fasting in order for the results be accurate. Results are falsely elevated if the patient is not fasting.  Spectrum Health Laboratories recently updated our system to hard stop a test from being collected if the patient is not fasting. Please remind your patients to fast 8 hours prior to having their blood drawn.

Spectrum Health Laboratories recommends:

• No caloric or caffeine intake for 8-12 hours prior to testing. Do not eat or drink anything except normal amounts of plain water. This also includes no smoking, chewing gum, candy, cough drops, etc.

• Take normal dosages of medications unless the provider has instructed otherwise.

Click here for a list of tests the require or recommend fasting. Continue Reading

March 31, 2022 by
General Information, Microbiology

New Test: Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) PCR, Swab

Effective February 10, 2022, Spectrum Health Regional Laboratory will offer Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV) PCR testing on swab specimens collected from cutaneous and mucocutaneous lesions (e.g. anorectal, genital, nasal, ocular, oral, skin, urethral).

PCR is the test method of choice for the diagnosis of VZV infection due to its enhanced sensitivity and speed as compared to traditional viral cultures, which should no longer be used for VZV detection. Continue Reading

February 9, 2022 by
Chemistry, Education & Training, Main lab

Test Update: AST and ALT

Go Live Date delayed to 3/3/2022

Go-Live Date: 3/2/2022

Due to new instrumentation at Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital Laboratory (BIRL) and to standardize across the Spectrum Health system, we will be adopting new tests for AST and ALT. The difference between our current test and this new test is the addition of the co-factor pyridoxal phosphate (Vitamin B6). The new test is the recommended test of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and ultimately will provide our patient population more accurate AST and ALT results. We did not adopt the new test in the past because it came with logistical and stability issues that made its use in the lab difficult. The new instrumentation we obtained has solved some of these concerns.

Historically, if patients had a Vitamin B6 deficiency, their AST and ALT levels may have been falsely lower than the true values. This decrease was due to the lack of endogenous co-factor causing a slower reaction rate when we tested the patient sample. After we implement the new test across the system, you may notice an increase in your patient’s AST and ALT results. This increase may be evidence that your patient had some degree of Vitamin B6 deficiency. If you were trending results, we recommend you establish a new baseline with the new test versions. The lab has been changed slightly in EPIC to prevent trending between the two test versions, since the results may not be able to be correlated if your patient had a Vitamin B6 deficiency. Continue Reading

January 19, 2022 by
Compliance & Safety, Education & Training, General Information

Appropriate Labeling for Shared Specimen – COVID-19 & FLU AB PCR

To provide efficient and safe testing for patient specimens, please review the following information when sending COVID-19 PCR and Influenza A/B PCR testing in the same encounter to Spectrum Health Laboratories.

Two labels will be available for this testing. Labels must be fixed so that

• The test and patient information are shown
• The barcode may be easily scanned by Lab staff or instruments

When this is not done correctly, Laboratory staff removes the labels and re-fixes or re-prints it, which obstructs workflow, causes delays, and could result in patient information being peeled off. With patient safety and efficient testing being two of the Lab’s top priorities, it is vital that specimens arrive in such a way as to best accomplish both. Continue Reading

January 4, 2022 by
Chemistry, General Information, Immunochemistry

Test Update: Rubella IgG Antibody Testing

On January 24th, 2022 Rubella Antibody, IgG, Serum (LAB496) and Rubella IgG Antibody Quantitative (LAB3544) will be combined as LAB496 and moved to the Immunochemistry laboratory due to reagent constrains with the current vendor.

Testing will be available Monday-Friday with a turn-around-time of 1-3 days. Results will be reported qualitatively as Immune or Not Immune.  If quantitative results are needed, please fax Immunochemistry at 616-267-2771 or call 616-267-2770. Continue Reading

December 30, 2021 by
Molecular Diagnostics

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Carrier Screen Discontinued

Effective February 1, 2022, the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Carrier Screen test, which includes the 23 common variants for cystic fibrosis recommended by ACOG/ACMG, will be discontinued as an orderable test at Spectrum Health Laboratory.

The recommended replacement test is the Cystic Fibrosis Mutation Analysis (Test ID: CFP) offered by Mayo Clinic Laboratories, a 106-variant panel which includes the recommended 23 common variants.

Continue Reading

December 29, 2021 by
Chemistry, Immunochemistry, Main lab

Supply Update: Mono Kit Replacement

Spectrum Health and Spectrum Health Medical Group (SHMG) Supply Chain Update:

AbbottTM has discontinued their Mono Test Kit. The identified replacement product is from Cardinal HealthTM. This product is already in use in some spaces throughout Spectrum Health. Please see ITM number for the replacement product below and update your ordering processes accordingly.

Discontinued Product: ITM-1002651 Kit Test Mono CLIA Waived (Abbott 92407)

Replacement Product: ITM-1049839 Test Mono II Rapid (Cardinal Health CH1145) Continue Reading

December 21, 2021 by
Microbiology, Test Spotlight

Influenza Testing Recommendation Update (December 2021)

The mitigation strategies enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the spread of this virus led to essentially non-existent influenza prevalence during the 2020-2021 winter season. However, influenza has now returned and case numbers are increasing throughout West Michigan.

Influenza prevalence guides the most appropriate testing approach and sufficient prevalence has now been reached for influenza rapid antigen testing (e.g. Sofia instrument) to have improved performance. The use of rapid antigen testing as a screening method during high prevalence reduces both the cost to the patient and turn-around-time as compared to lab-based molecular methods. Rapid antigen tests generally have high analytical specificity, but lack the sensitivity of nucleic acid amplification methods (e.g. PCR). For this reason, PCR testing is still recommended for hospitalized patients and for outpatients with a negative antigen result if influenza is still suspected and if the result will impact clinical decision making. Continue Reading

December 16, 2021 by
General Information, Hemostasis/Coagulation

Test Update: Prothrombin Time (Protime/PT)

Effective December 6, 2021, Spectrum Health Reference Laboratory (SHRL) Coagulation department will go live with a new lot of Prothrombin Time (Protime/PT) reagents. The reference range for the PT will be adjusted to reflect this reagent lot change and align with our Regional Laboratories. The new reference range will be 9.5 – 12.0 seconds. There will be no change to the INR ranges.

Test Current Reference Range New Reference Range
Prothrombin Time (PT) 9.7 – 12.6 seconds 9.5 – 12.0 seconds

Continue Reading

December 3, 2021 by
General Information

Sofia Strep Test Kit – Stable Supply

The supply of the Sofia Strep Test Kits (ITM-1052057) has returned to a stable level allowing the system to migrate back to this Strep Test kit solely. Please note once the remaining supply of the alternative strep test kit (Cardinal – ITM-1157857) is depleted, the item will be inactivated.

Due to this change, please ensure competencies are up to date for the Sofia Strep test kit.

Procedure Reference #17340, #24118.

 

Test Information:

Strep A Rapid, Throat Swab Only Epic Code [LAB8850]

November 23, 2021 by