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Sputum Test submissions and outcome results
MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Feb 26 7:09pm | Replies (81)Comment receiving replies
@blm1007blm1007 Thanks for your reply, Barbara. Obviously different labs must have different requirements. As mentioned, I did the same thing with another sample I took to a different lab and it was fine. But I did submit one to this lab that was refrigerated so who knows? I think if this lab is that picky, I'm going to have to keep them all in the fridge before I leave and then put them in a small ice chest in transit until I bring them in so they can see that they were refrigerated. I'm actually wondering if the lab itself didn't refrigerate them where I dropped them off because I know they're sent out from there to do the actual analysis. I don't trust that the techs actually know what they're doing at the drop off location where they do blood tests, and take urine specimens, etc. But this is the lab my insurance chooses to use now so I'm stuck with it for a while. I may request to speak with the manager as you suggested as well.
Replies to "@blm1007blm1007 Thanks for your reply, Barbara. Obviously different labs must have different requirements. As mentioned, I..."
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@linda1334 Well, I had a similar experience, my clinic lab, after accepting refrigerated samples from 3 consecutive days for 7 years, suddenly insisted that samples had to be refrigerated immediately and submitted within 24 hours of being expectorated or the test would be "null." I knew that couldn't be right because my samples had been working fine for years, even when they had to ship them to NJH for colony counts and drug-sensitivity testing. It took a call to my pulmonologist - apparently they were using a "new protocol" and didn't bother to clear it with her department, so they had to rewrite the protocol and get it out to all 15+ of their lab locations.
So in addition to getting a new order, you might want the doc to write special directions on them for how to handle the specimens.
Keep in mind that many doctors' offices and clinics now out-source their lab work (or certain tests) to what one of my docs calls "factory" labs. They may not have the same rules as previously used. And they may not have specific rules for rare tests like our cultures.