Community Hospital Laboratory

Upstate Pathology and Laboratory Medicine provides anatomic and clinical pathology testing services to physicians, clinics, and patients at Upstate Community Hospital.

In July 2018 laboratory space previously used by Laboratory Alliance of CNY was converted to a new Upstate Clinical Pathology laboratory that is staffed by Upstate employees. The clinical laboratory is adjacent to our anatomic pathology laboratory which began operations in 2016.

The change in clinical laboratory services resulted in a few changes in test methodology, reference ranges, and specimen collection supplies but ultimately benefitted providers by creating uniformity in lab orders and results between the two hospitals.

Important Details about the laboratory services transition

Expand all

Changes in Test Methodologies

Troponin Upstate Laboratory performs Troponin T rather than Troponin I that was offered previously

Pro BNP-NT Upstate offers only the ProBNP-NT. BNP will no longer be available

Heparin Protocol Upstate uses anti-Xa unfractionated heparin level rather than PTT results to determine the proper Heparin Protocol

Drugs of Abuse The Upstate Drugs of Abuse panel does not include the Urine Alcohol. If Urine Alcohol is needed it must be ordered separately (EPIC code LAB2501)

Test Results

REFERENCE RANGES MIGHT BE DIFFERENT Please check reference ranges in the Upstate Lab system and on Upstate lab reports. Differences in analyzers, reagents, and methodology can result in different reference ranges than what providers are used to.
Results for Laboratory Alliance tests ordered before July 23^rd will continue to be reported in the Upstate Lab system for several months.

Pre-Op Testing Result Availability

After July 23^rd if patients go to any draw site that is not an Upstate location for pre-op testing, the test results will NOT be available in EPIC when they come to the hospital for their procedure. One option to avoid this situation is to direct patients to an Upstate draw site.

Reference Laboratory Tests

Send-out tests performed by Upstate's reference laboratories might have different reference ranges. Please remember to check reference ranges in EPIC or on lab reports.

Specimen Collection

Upstate uses different specimen collection supplies for a number of laboratory procedures - mostly microbiology. We are working with distribution to swap out supplies on the floors, in supply rooms, and in Distribution on the morning of July 23^rd.

Details about the new supplies are covered in a Blackboard session that the Nursing Staff will be required to complete between June 1^st and June 30^th.

Specimen Collection Supply Cards will also be distributed to each COW and posters will be hung in store rooms.

Bar Code Printers

New specimen collection bar code printers that are compatible with Upstate's Laboratory Information System are being installed next to all existing bar code printers. On July 22^nd at 24:00 labels will cease to be printed on the old printers and, thereafter, will print only on the new printers. The old printers will be picked up by IMT staff.

NOTE: the new printers use the SAME label stock as the old ones. Continue to use your current stock and reorder labels as you've done in the past.

Upstate Draw Station

nurse drawing blood from patient An Upstate Blood Draw Site is conveniently located in Room 1257, behind Patient Registration. Hours of operation are Monday - Friday from 8:00am to 5:00 pm.

NOTE: since this is a hospital based location some insurance plans might charge higher co-pays. We encourage patients to check with their insurance company if they have any questions.

Contacts

Main Laboratory Number: 315-492-5531 • Fax 315-495-5806
Michelle Dautrich, Laboratory Manager: 315-492-5161
Rohin Mehta, MD, Medical Director: 315-492-5665
Upstate Lab Customer Service: 315-464-4462 • email: [email protected]