Specimen Requirements

For labs that perform testing on-site OR labs that have the capabilities of freezing and transporting the specimen at -20° C or colder:

Specimen Type: Plasma

Container/Tube: Light-green top (lithium heparin gel)

Specimen Volume: 1 mL

Specimen Minimum Volume: 0.5 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Fingerstick specimen is not recommended.

2. Hemolyzed specimen is not acceptable.

3. Place specimen immediately on wet ice after draw until it can be centrifuged.

4. Spin down and separate plasma from cells within 15 minuts. Specimen must be analyzed within 2 hours of draw unless frozen at -20^o C or colder.

Specimen must be frozen at -20° C or colder and must be transported at -20° C or colder, if sent to another site for testing.

For Neighborhood Sites

Specimen must be stored at 2-8° C and analyzed within 2 hours of draw. Contact your site's courier for STAT or Super STAT pick up and delivery.

Specimen Type: Plasma

Container/Tube: Light-green top (lithium heparin gel)

Specimen Volume: 1 mL

Specimen Minimum Volume: 0.5 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Fingerstick specimen is not recommended.

2. Hemolyzed specimen is not acceptable.

3. Place specimen immediately on wet ice after draw. 

4. Spin down separate plasma from cells within 15 minutes. Specimen must be analyzed within 2 hous of draw unless frozen at -20^o C or colder.

5. Transport Refrigerated.

For Regional Sites and Other Outreach Locations

Contact your local hospital for specimen collection and processing requirements, and send to your local hospital. Result test as '@REFL'. Upon receipt of results, where applicable, have results scanned into patient's EMR.