Test Results

Turnaround time availability

Test results will be available based on order priority (STAT, urgent or routine). Select the appropriate test priority based on the patient's clinical need.

Turn around time by department:

Chemistry and Hematology STAT/Urgent TAT availability

Anatomic pathology Turn Around Time Information

Test priority

Stat

Reserved for those situations of life-threatening (life and limb) medical emergency
STAT orders will be given priority and collected immediately after order received
Results will be available within 60 minutes of receiving sample for tests performed on site
Blood cultures will be drawn STAT and are monitored continuously for positivity.
STAT Microbiology cultures will be set-up immediately, only at facilities providing Microbiology testing services. Preliminary culture results will be available within 24 hours.
STAT Gram stain results will be available within one hour during Microbiology Technologist work hours. After hours STAT gram stains require a Microbiology Technologist to be called in.
Intraoperative specimen collection

Urgent

Collected as soon as possible after the order received and results will be available within two hours of ordering for tests performed on site

Timed

Collected at time indicated.

Refer to the Test Directory to determine the proper sample collection time for your patient
Outpatients must know date and time of last dose of medication

Routine

Collect at routine collection times
Most results will be available within 24 hours of receipt of the specimen in the lab for testing performed on site

Unexpected delays in results reporting

Occasionally the lab experiences difficulties that affect its ability to provide results within the stated timeframes. Physicians/wards will receive notification in the event that a STAT or Urgent order cannot be processed in time. The lab will try to communicate when the results might be expected to be available.

Patient test results

Results will only be available to the ordering physician as well as any other healthcare providers listed on the patient requisition/LIS order.

It is the physician’s responsibility to provide results to their patients at their request.
Patients requesting access to their lab results through MyHealthPortal
Patients can also request a copy of their own results under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) by submitting the completed Request for Access to Records – Lab form to your local IH health records department.

Physicians are able to access their patient’s results electronically from their office through the Physician Office Integration (POI).

Lab reports

All laboratory tests requested by an authorized health-care provider are tested and reported.

For the set-up of electronic distribution, changes in current distribution preferences or to discontinue electronic delivery of clinical documents and diagnostic results please complete and submit the following form:

Electronic Clinical Documentation and Diagnostic Results Form

For further information, please review the IH Policy and FAQ or contact ResultsDistribution@interiorhealth.ca.

If a test is not performed for any reason, the reason is documented and the physician is notified. Missing laboratory reports could be due to a variety of reasons. If no results are available after the expected time, please contact the lab by email or by phone for further investigation.

Faxed reports

Results will only be faxed to secure fax machines that are separate from public access
Ensure that your fax number is listed correctly on the requisition. To make a change please call the Service Desk at 1-855-242-1300.
Fax numbers are validated for accuracy prior to use

Verbal reports

IH Laboratory Service will issue verbal laboratory results to the health care practitioner when indicated or requested on the requisition. The identity of the person receiving the result must be verified at the time of the call for authenticity in order to maintain patient confidentiality.
Requisition must have the phone number and the name of the specific person or site to which the call is to be made.

Support

Support for existing CDX Service subscriptions or general queries: Please contact cdx@interiorhealth.ca
EMR-specific information or configuration: Please contact your vendor via the support information in your EMR product.
IH Labs: to contact a specific IH Lab Department, please email IHLabQuality@interiorhealth.ca
Misdirected documents, results, or reports: Please review our Patient Addition or Removal Request webpage.

Critical results

All critical test results are immediately communicated to the attending physician or appropriate clinical personnel responsible for that patient’s care.

In the event that the physician is unavailable to receive the result, the Laboratory Medical Director will be notified in order to take the next steps to ensure that the patient receives the proper care in a timely manner.

Inpatient critical results will be phoned to nursing staff on the patient’s unit to relay the result to the ordering physician immediately

Outpatient critical results will be called to the physician’s office during their regular working hours.

If the physician is not available, the result will be given to the office RN and that the physician must be notified immediately
After hours, if the patient has been discharged or is an outpatient, the lab staff will call the ordering physician’s on-call number

Pathologist consultation

An IH Pathologist is always available for consultation.

Monday to Friday 8am-4pm contact your local Anatomic Pathology department:

East Kootenay Regional Hospital 250-489-6441
Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital 250-364-5189
Kelowna General Hospital 250-862-4407
Penticton Regional Hospital 250-492-9014
Royal Inland Hospital 250-314-2669
Vernon Jubilee Hospital 250-558-1342

After hours, contact the switchboard operator at the desired facility to page the Pathologist on-call or consult the Oncall Scheduling system.

Reference ranges

Reference ranges for individual tests are stated on the patient report, specific for the age and birth sex of the patient, taking into account biological variation. As test methodologies vary, the reference range will reflect the current appropriate range for that test. All results must be interpreted in conjunction with the patient’s individual presentation.

Hematology and Coagulation Reference Range

Measurement uncertainty

This Measurement Uncertainty (MU) Table provides estimates of MU for all quantitative methods. The MU estimate provides a range of values within which the true value is believed to lie with an approximate confidence level of 95%. MU is estimated for each analyte using precision data obtained from observed quality control results prior to the implementation of a new method and 6 months after any method change.

Contact ihlabquality@interiorhealth.ca to request site specific and/or date range specific values if needed.

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