Physician Information

Stat Testing
Stat testing is available 24 hours per day.  As a general policy, there are no additional fees for STAT orders, after hours testing, or other special requests.  Please contact the Laboratory Manager if you have questions.

Repeat Testing
If a physician questions validility of a test result, the test will be repeated at no extra charge.  Note:  Most blood specimens for clinical testing are held 3-5 days due to space limitations.  Please call before that time to prevent the patient from having to be redrawn.

Referral Lab Services
Procedures not performed by VRMC Laboratory will be referred to another accredited laboratory.  Procedures not listed in this manual are available from our reference laboratory.  Our reference laboratories include LabCorp, Medtox, Viromed, Mayo Laboratories, Serolab (Allergy testing), and SMDC.

Technical Assistance
VRMC Laboratory is staffed with Technical Advisors to assist you with our office laboratory testing questions.  These advisory can provide quality control, quality assurance monitoring, proficiency testing evaluation, equipment verification, and continuing education and personnel competency evaluations to help you maintain CLIA or COLA accreditation.  Please contact the Laboratory Manager for assistance.

Accreditation/Licenses

FDA Registration of Blood Bank	#2170609
Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA)	#24D0040912
College of American Pathologists	#18074-01, 02
VRMC Federal ID	#41-6005596

Courier Service
A courier service is available for specimen pick-up Monday through Friday.  After hours, weekend and holiday service will be provided by a taxi cab service if needed.  Please call (218) 749-9477 for assistance.

Supplies And Safety Devices
Supplies that are used to perform tests at VRMC Laboratory will be supplied to you at no charge.  These supplies are provided solely for the use of collection and handling of specimens that are being sent to VRMC Laboratory for testing.  It is not intended that these supplies be provided for any other uses, and such a limitation is necessary to comply with applicable laws including Medicare.  Your compliance with this policy is greatly appreciated.  The supply order form may be ordered from the VRMC Laboratory.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Blood Borne Pathogen Standard requires that all personnel whose job duties bring them into contact with blood and/or body fluids use Universal Precautions.  Consistent use of protective barriers to prevent contamination of the skin, clothing and mucous membranes (eye, ears, nose, and mouth) is considered necessary.  This would require wearing gloves whenever the possibility of an exposure exists (e.g. performing a phlebotomy, tapping off a serum sample).  The VRMC Laboratory will provide specimen bags, labeled with the universal biohazard symbol for transporting your speciemens to us.  Please feel free to call with any questions or concerns in specimen collection handling.

Specimen Collection/Handling
The highest of standards must be practiced in the area of specimen collection, identification, centrifugation, and storage.  An inadequate specimen may completely invalidate a test that has been perfectly performed.  All specimens sent and transported to the laboratory must be packed in leak proof containers and labeled with a Biohazard sticker.  Please note that unlabeled specimens will be rejected and a new specimen requested.  Your careful attention to specimen handling and labeling will provide the best service to our patients.

Specimen Identification
Positive identification of all specimens is of the utmost importance.  Generally all specimens should be labeled with the following information:
          * Complete patient name
          * Date of birth
          * Date and time of collection
          * Phlebotomist’s initials

When labeling a specimen, place the label on the container rather than the cover or bag the specimen is in.  This will avoid the specimen getting separated from the label inadvertently.

Specimen Stability And Preservation
Unless otherwise indicated in the instructions, it is generally best to refrigerate whole blood, serum, plasma, body fluids and urines.  Please refer to the specific requirements found in the test listing.  Do not freeze whole blood or serum that has not been removed from the clot.

FROZEN SPECIMENS – When instructions specify freezing, centrifuge specimens as soon as possible is serum or plasma, tap off into a plastic tube and freeze specimens promptly in the coldest freezer available.  Inform the courier that a specimen is frozen and must remain frozen during transport.

ICED SPECIMENS – Place specimen on wet ice promptly when instructions indicate.  Inform courier that an iced specimen is to be transported on wet ice.

HEMOLYZED AND LIPEMIC SPECIMENS – Please redraw a specimen that is hemolyzed or lipemic.  Most testing methods require unhemolyzed free of turbidity specimens.

Urine and Stool Collections

Blood Collections

Cytology

Gynecological Specimens

Non-Gynecological Specimens