News Briefs
The NANOGRAM
Martha Jefferson Hospital Laboratory Services
Spring 2012
Quarterly Newsletter on Charlottesville Pathology Website
This newsletter is from the Laboratory and will be distributed on a quarterly basis. It contains important information and news briefs concerning laboratory services. In addition to normal distribution, each issue will be posted at www.cvillepathology.net under the News Brief section.
Pap Testing, HPV Testing, and Medicare Coverage
Medicare covers one routine/screening Pap test and pelvic exam every 24 months*. Specimens for screening Pap and/or HPV which may not be covered by Medicare should be submitted with a complete (see below) and signed ABN form to avoid delay in processing.
Some offices choose to order Reflex HPV with Screening Pap tests on Medicare patients (HPV will only be run if Pap result is Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance, ASC-US). In this scenario, the HPV is diagnostic (for which a diagnostic ICD9 code covered by Medicare is then added).
[* Medicare will cover Pap tests and pelvic exams more frequently if diagnostic (submitted with associated Medicare-covered ICD9 code), including for child-bearing age women with an abnormal pap in the previous 36 months and/or if the doctor determines that patient is at high risk for cervical or vaginal cancer.]
Gynecologic Cytology ABN Form
Please take special care when completing the Gynecologic Cytology ABN for Medicare patients. An incomplete ABN will not allow the patient to be billed if Medicare denies the claim. The following has to be complete on the ABN Form:
• Patient Name
• Test s)
• Reason
• Cost(s)
• Option box checked with Lab Test
• Patient Signature
• Date
If you have any questions about Cytology ABN, please contact our Cytology Section Leader Ann Lersch via email at or telephone at 654-5903.
Tumor Board: Slides From Outside Location
If your physician has a case for Tumor Board in which slides were requested from an outside institution, please fax a completed requisition with patient demographics and insurance information to the pathology laboratory at 434-654-7776. In the note section, please write Tumor Board Case. If you have questions, call 434-654-7188.
Requisition Reminder
In order to expedite the handling of specimens, please make sure that the correct requisition is used for the specimen that you are sending. For Pathology questions on requisitions, call 434-654-7188. For Clinical Lab questions on requisitions, call 434-654-7170
Spring Creek at Zion Crossroads/ 29 North at Proffit Road
We are excited to announce that there are 2 additional laboratory draw stations available to your patients both with full time phlebotomists from M-F 8:00am to 4:00pm. And, the OCC continues to be open M-F 7:00am-5:00pm.
Addresses of New Lab Draw Areas
• 29 North at Proffit Road
- 3263 Proffit Road, Charlottesville, VA 22911
- Phone: 434-654-4650
• Spring Creek at Zion Crossroads
- 29 Jefferson Court, Gordonsville, VA 22942
- Phone: 434-654-8918
Optimum Choice
United Healthcare’s Optimum Choice plan requires that outpatient lab services be conducted by Labcorp. This is declared on ID Card. Please notify your staff to review cards closely.
Joint Commission
Early in 2012, The Joint Commission conducted their required JC Extension Survey at Martha Jefferson Lab due to the move in 2011. We are proud to report that we passed with no exceptions and lots of positive feedback. The survey mostly looked at safety issues.
Annual Celebration For Laboratory Professionals
The last week of April is designated as Lab Week and was created in order to celebrate the professionals that make up the practice of Laboratory Medicine. It is a chance to let people know about our dedication and commitment to laboratory medicine and to quality patient care.
According to the ASCP (American Society of Clinical Pathology, www.ascp.org), there are 300,000 medical laboratory professionals around the country who perform and interpret more than 10 billion laboratory tests in the United States each year. Most of the work is behind the scenes but this critical testing is crucial to patient care. At Martha Jefferson Laboratory Services, we spend the week honoring outstanding technologists, celebrating with our colleagues, and educating the medical community and public on laboratory science.
Please take a chance to explore the websites for Martha Jefferson Laboratory Medicine and Charlottesville Pathology Associates to learn more about this area of medicine.
Martha Jefferson Laboratory Services:
www.marthajefferson.org/clinical-services-laboratory-services.php
Charlottesville Pathology Associates:
Microbiology Label Requirements
1. Name: Patient’s full first and last name, no initials please. Include date of birth.
2. Date: Date of the specimen collection.
3. Time: Time of specimen collection required on specimen if multiple specimens submitted are time dependent.
4. Source/Location: Specimen source and site are a must. Location descriptors required if multiple specimens from the same source are collected (for example, right or left).
NOTE: Gram Stains on Cultures
When ordering cultures, please note that a Gram Stain is performed with the culture set-up. DO NOT order a Gram Stain separately. EXCEPTIONS: Gram Stains are not performed on urine cultures, stool cultures, or genital cultures. With questions, call 654-7170.
Change In Microbiology Procedures
Several Micro procedures have been updated using the Eisenberg manual as a reference. Please be aware that there may be new comments attached to some culture results. Any questions, please call 654-7172 or 654-7173.
Visit the Charlottesville Pathology Associates website at:www.cvillepathology.net
Important Telephone Numbers
o Need lab results from the Clinical Lab call 654-7170 or fax 654-7164.
o Need lab results from the Anatomic Pathology Lab 654-7955 or fax 654-7944.
o AP Client Services Representative, Noel Jorgensen, at 654-5525.
o Reproductive Technology Laboratory at 654-8530
The next Nanogram newsletter will be Summer 2012 distributed in July 2012.
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