Communique

July Communiqué 2010

Laboratory Operations

PSC Summer Holiday Hours
Medical Waste Disposal
Special Send Outs
Patient Financial Assistance

Tech Tip
Draw Date and 30/60 Rule

Test News
Aminoglycoside Reference Range Changes
ASO Reporting Change
Celiac Disease Testing Change
Drugs of Abuse Testing Change
Thyroid Antibodies

Compliance Update

Medicare Preventative Screening Quick Reference
Alert: CBC or CBC with Diff

April Communiqué 2010

Laboratory Operations

Lab Week Celebrated

EHR: Availability of Financing Announced by VITL

Tech Tips

Safe Sharps Use and Removal

Test News
BNP Processing Change

Calculated Phenytoin Change

Chlamydia/GC Molecular Detection in Urine
Cortisol Assay Calibration Change

CSF Glutamine Testing Discontinued

CSF VDRL Testing Change

Drugs of Abuse Testing

Hemoglobin A1c Change in Reference Range

HPV Testing Schedule

Lead Level Change in Critical Value

Plasma Free Hemoglobin Testing Change
Progesterone Assay Calibration Change

Sperm Antibody Testing

Sweat Chloride: New Reference Range for CF Testing

Syphilis Testing Updates
Theophylline Assay Calibration Change

Trichomonas Culture (TRIP)

Unconjugated Estriol Assay Change in Calibration

Viral Detection Parainfluenza Virus Test Update

Vitamin B12 Change in Reference Range

Compliance Update

Review Reflex Testing

January Communiqué 2010

Laboratory Operations
Holiday Phlebotomy Hours
STAT and EXPEDITE Stickers Get Attention
Report of Death

Test News
Test Updates:
Lyme Antibody (Borrelia burgdorferi)
Syphilis Serology
25-OH Vitamin D (Total)
Clostridium difficile toxin PCR
Viral Detection
TSH Reagent Change

Compliance Update
Expanded ICD-9–CM Diagnosis Codes

October Communiqué 2009

Laboratory Operations
Holiday Phlebotomy Hours
Dragonheart Vermont
Tech Tips
Spinning for Results

Test News
Test Update: Urine Screen for Methadone
Lead Reference Range Update
Herpes Simplex Virus PCR
Compliance Update
Telephone Orders for PSA & PSAS

July Communiqué 2009

Lab Operations
Summer Holiday Phlebotomy Hours
Additional Copies of a report
Critical Result Calls
Fasting labs

Test News
Method Change Immunosuppressive Drugs
Urinalysis Reporting and Reference Range Change
Ammonia and IINR Reporting Linit Change
Urine Specific Gravity & Ph Reference Range Change

April Communiqué 2009

Lab Operations
Summer Holiday Phlebotomy Hours
ACC Phlebotomy Hours
Ordering Lab Forms
Maximum Sample Load Per Bag
Staffing in Cytopathology

Test News
Ketone Change
A1C Test Code Change
Alpha Fetoprotein Stability
Water Testing Change
CPT Code Update

Compliance
Pregnancy & the PAP Smear
New Required Information for ABN's
New LCD's
Irradiated Blood Products
Parathyroid Hormones (PTH)
RAST Type Test
Syphilis Testing
Viral Hepatitis Testing
More Medicare Coverage Decisions on the Horizon

January Communiqué 2009

Lab Operations
What's in a name?
Special Send Outs
Courier Pickups

Test News
HIV Consent
Test Schedule Changes
Porphobilinogen
Hepatitis Reference Range
Estimated Average Glucose (eAG)Hemoccult Slides
CSF Electrophoresis Change
Vitamin D 1, 25 Volume Change
Lead Demographic Update
Collect Date for Quad Markers

Compliance Update
Ordering PSA & FREPSA

October Communiqué2008

Lab Operations
Patient Service Center Hours
Laboratory Newsletter Print
Duplicate Physician Orders
Proper disposal of Sharps

Test News
LPR Change in Reference Ranges
Low Vitamin D May Raise Death Risk
HIV Testing
Cytomegalovirus: Tests For Diagnosing Infection Ordering Parasitology Examinations

Compliance Update
Magnesium Testing
Hepatic Function Panel Immunohistochemistry
Lipid Profile/Cholesterol testing
Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA)
Flow Cytometry

July 2008 Laboratory Communiqué

Lab Operations
Patient Service Center Hours
Mayo Pediatric Book
New Paper for Lab reports
From the Lab Bench
Getting Samples Ready for the Lab

Test News
Buprenorphine Test Change
Celiac disease Testing
Cortisol Stim. Test vs ACTH Quantification

Compliance Update
New ABN Form on Horizon

April 2008 Laboratory Communiqué

Laboratory Operations
Blood Collection Device Change
Provider On-Call Changes

Test News
Amniotic Fluid AFP Reporting
Insulin Reference Range Update
Hepatitis B Viral DNA Assay
A1c Reference Range Update
Cessation of LAP Testing
Change in Reference Lab: HIT

Compliance Update
Update on Medicare LCDs:
BNP Testing
hsCRP Testing
Update on Reflex Testing Policy:
Cytogenetic Testing On Soft Tissue And Bone Tumors

January 2008 Laboratory Communiqué
Posted: January 2008
January 2008 Laboratory Communiqué
Holiday Phlebotomy Hours
Phlebotomy cards

Test News
Poly stat® Mono Test
Testing for Vitamin D

Compliance Update
New LCD’s
Sed Rate
Homocysteine
Acid Phosphatase; Total & Prostatic
Plasma vs Serum Glucose

Attachments: Test Updates
Cystic Fibrosis Gene Mutation
Factor V Leiden Mutation
Prothrombin G20210A Mutation
Genetic Informed Consent Form

April 2010 Laboratory Communiqué

Laboratory Operations