Hours of Operation
The Special Hemostasis
Laboratory is staffed Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, excluding
national holidays. Laboratory technologists can be promptly reached during
these hours by calling 732 235-7683.
Normal Ranges
Normal ranges listed on the
results form are based on an adult population collected in 3.2% sodium citrate
unless otherwise indicated. Ranges are subject to changes due to changes in
reagents, test methodologies, and/or instrumentation. Please refer to the
final report for current normal ranges.
Interpretation
Interpretation of results will
be included in the final report. Optimal interpretation depends on providing
the laboratory with clinical history and medications.
Billing
Referring institutions who
draw blood and process samples for testing by the Special Hemostasis
Laboratory will be billed directly by the Laboratory.
Patients who have samples
drawn at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital outpatient laboratory
will be billed by the hospital laboratory. Please contact the hospital
laboratory with questions about pricing and billing procedures.
STAT and ASAP Testing
STAT testing is available
pending approval by the Special hemostasis Laboratory Director. To inquire
about STAT testing, please contact the Special Hemostasis Laboratory with the
patient's name, clinical history, and name and telephone number of the
referring physician. The Laboratory Director may need to contact the
patient's physician to discuss the necessity for STAT testing. If ASAP
testing is needed (i.e., prior to specific surgery date), please contact the
Special Hemostasis Laboratory.
Adding/Cancelling Tests
Samples are stored at the
laboratory for a minimum of six months; therefore additional assays can be
performed upon request if adequate sample volume permits. Cancellation of
tests may be made while samples are in transit. Regulations require written
authorization for additions or deletions of assays.
Sample Collection
Patients may be referred to the Robert
Wood Johnson University Hospital outpatient department (Suite A) for blood
collection for any testing offered. Bleeding time and platelet aggregation
studies must be drawn on-site. All other testing may be drawn and processed
at a referring institution (See Sample Collection, Processing, and Shipping
Information section).
Reporting
Test Results
Routinely, a hard copy of results is
mailed to the referring institution or physician. If you would like results
sent to additional persons or other addresses, please include this information
on the test requisition form. If the
patient has their blood sample drawn at Robert Wood Johnson University
Hospital outpatient drawing station, the results will be mailed from Robert
Wood Johnson University Hospital Laboratory (phone 732 937-8588).
SPECIMEN COLLECTION, PROCESSING, AND SHIPPING
PROCEDURES
Coagulation tests are sensitive to methods of sample
collection and processing. Test results are dependent on the quality of the
sample. The drawing laboratory is responsible for adhering to collection and
processing guidelines.
SPECIMEN COLLECTION
Prior to obtaining a blood specimen from any
patient, the identification of the patient must be verified by checking the
patient’s wristband for name and hospital number. If the blood is collected
from an outpatient, ask for the patient’s name and/or identification card.
Clean venipuncture is essential, therefore trauma should
be avoided. Contamination with tissue factor, activation of clotting factors
and platelets, and hemolysis can occur from multiple sticks, slapping the
vein, excessive pumping of the hand, air bubbles in the syringes, or from
placing the tourniquet on too tightly or for too long a period of time.
From a peripheral vein, draw 2-3 ml of blood for
discard. Then draw a 5ml size blue top tube containing 3.2% Na citrate as
the anticoagulant. Mix thoroughly. These tubes must be properly
filled to achieve the proper ratio of blood to citrate. If pediatric patients
are drawn, a pediatric size tube may be used (2.7ml blood to 0.3ml of citrate
is necessary). For most individual testing, draw 1 blue top from which
4 tubes of 0.5cc citrated frozen plasma are required. Additional or
different requirements may be found in the “Special Requirements” section of
the Panel Listing or the “Comments” section of the Individual Tests Listing.
Place tubes on ice.
NOTE:
The ratio of whole blood to anticoagulant should be 9:1. If the
patient’s hematocrit is below 20% or above 55%, the amount of anticoagulant
used should be adjusted according to the following formula:
C = 1.85 x 103 x
(100-H) x V where:
