Study Coordinators Guide
to Laboratory Testing
March 2013
Sally Opel, MT ASCP
sopel@uic.edu
312-996-4294
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Introduction
The topics covered will be:
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What testing is included in the “laboratory”? (pg. 3)
What services the laboratory can and cannot provide? (pg. 4)
How do I get stated? (pg. 5)
What is the deal with the pricing for grants/studies? (pg. 6)
How do I get approval for the study? (pg. 8)
How long does the process take? (pg.12)
Sample Requisitions. (pg. 13)
Special instructions for “anonymous” subjects. (pg. 14)
Instructions for testing done on In Patient participants (pg. 15)
How do I get the results? (pg. 16)
Where can I find test reference ranges and specimen requirements?
(pg. 17)
What happens if there is a problem with the bill? (pg. 24)
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What testing is included in the
“laboratory”?
 All Anatomic Pathology testing
 Surgical Pathology
 Cytology
 All Clinical Pathology tests:
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Chemistry
Hematology
Coagulation
Blood Bank
Microbiology
Molecular Genetics
Flow Cytometry
Cytogenetics
Tests that are sent to our approved reference labs
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What are the services the laboratory
can and cannot provide?
Can:
 The laboratory will provide a custom requisition for the study. Please
use only the custom requisition.
 The laboratory phlebotomists (in the OCC) can draw the blood for
testing or for processing by the study (there is a fee for this service).
 The Laboratory can process tests that are supported by our laboratory.
 The Laboratory can provide results in Cerner or a printed copy.
 The Laboratory can provide copies of Accreditations and certifications.
Can not:
 The laboratory can NOT process specimens unless the results go into
the lab system - we won’t spin, pack, or send.
 The laboratory will NOT allow the use of centrifuges for processing
non-laboratory resulted specimens.
 The phlebotomists can NOT come to the patients. Note: if you need to
be trained in the art of phlebotomy, the CRC may be able to help you.
Contact them at 996-3937.
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How do I get started?
 If this is a preliminary inquiry to determine
feasibility – just send the list of specific tests
you are interested in to Sally Opel
(sopel@uic.edu)
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Note: be as specific as possible – Don’t ask for
“Chemistries” – there are probably 100+ tests we consider
“chemistry”.
 If you are already approved, more specific
information will be needed. (More on that
later – slide #11.)
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What is the deal with pricing for
grants/studies?
 The prices provided by the lab are the list (non-
discounted) prices. Depending on the sponsor, the
study receives a discount. (see next slide)
 The price of all laboratory tests typically increases
July 1st. The increases in the past have been 5%,
however that may not always be the case.
 Prices for some tests (send outs or tests where
methods change) may be subject to change without
notice.
 Always recheck the actual prices or % adjustment if a
new fiscal year has begun since you were given the
prices.
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Discounts for Clinical Laboratory
testing:
Sponsor
Discount
For Profit
50%
Not For Profit
60%
Federally Funded 83% for most lab tests
Blood Bank and Blood Therapy:
69%
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How do I get approval for the
study?
The place to start is at The University of Illinois
Medical Center Clinical PAF Processing Office
(PAF) web site. That web page is found on either of
the UIC web sites
http://intranet.uimcc.uic.edu/SitePages/Home.aspx
(requires log-in and password)
or
http://tigger.uic.edu/depts/ovcr/research/proposals/form
s/index.shtml
These sites give you all the forms, the names of the
departmental contacts, how the process works.
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PAF Website: Intranet
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PAF Website: Internet
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Specific information needed
If after the funding has been approved and the services of the UIC
Pathology Laboratory are required, you will need to have this
information:
 The account number – the account number we need must end in 9517
 The name of the study or a suitable acronym (of 4-8 letters)
 The tests to be done or if the “lab” will only draw blood and your study
will process the specimens.
 Whether the patient(s) are to be registered (have an MRN) or will the
patient be “anonymous”, use only a study ID.
 Do you want the results to go into Powerchart (EMR)?
 If the results will not go into Powerchart (patients with only a study ID
can not go into Powerchart) – how will you get the results – pick them
up or have them mailed? More about this later.
 Who the contact person is in the event of problem with the specimens,
critical results that need to be called, or other information?
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How long does the set-up process
take?
After the funding has been approved – and the
account number set up through Patient
Accounts.
 The laboratory computer set up can take from
1day to a week.
 The custom requisition can take from 1 day to
2 weeks - depending on the complexity of
the requisition and the availability of the LIS
staff.
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Requisition Example
Here are examples of what the requisitions look
like:
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Special Instructions for “Anonymous”
patients:
 Anonymous patients are those that are not registered
in Cerner or because they are not people (monkeys,
rats, etc.).
 When determining the study ID that will be used in
place of the MRN – please don’t start your numbering
at 1. We have dozens of studies and if everyone
started with 1 – well, you can see the problem!
 If these patients will be drawn in the OCC, a
coordinator must accompany the patient or an actual
name must be supplied to assure proper patient
identification (this can be part of the requisition and
will never be entered into the system)
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IP and ED Patient participants
 Sometimes IP or ED patients will have some of the testing covered by
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the Grant/Study. (If all services are covered, the specific admission
may be “linked” to the study and no special procedures are required.)
All requests for the Grant/Study covered testing must be submitted
using a custom requisition.
Orders for these test can NOT be entered through Cerner
(PowerChart).
Blood can be drawn by the laboratory phlebotomists, however, they
must be contacted (call 3-3799 or 6-8048) and arrangements made for
the draw. Scheduled IP draws will take priority.
Specifically timed draws must be done by staff other than the
phlebotomist.
Results can post to Cerner or print out for pick-up in the laboratory.
(Coordinator’s choice.)
Billing will function like all other Grant/Study billing
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How do I get results?
 For patients with an actual MRN – the results can go into
Cerner.
 For those patients or subjects whose results should or can NOT
go into the EMR(Cerner), printed reports are available. These
reports print in the evening and, for testing completed by 5pm,
are available the next morning to be picked up in Room 214
CSB. The reports can be sent through campus mail if pick-up is
inconvenient.
 If printed reports are “misplaced”, lost, or eaten by those pesky
office gremlins – contact the lab for a reprint. You will need to
provide the MRN or Research Subject Study ID to get another
copy.
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Where can I get test reference ranges and
specimen requirements?
You can access the specimen requirements and reference ranges
from the hospital’s home page.
http://www.employee.hospital.uic.edu
or
http://intranet.uimcc.uic.edu/SitePages/Home.aspx
or
If you are outside of the University and do not have
access to the UIC home page, paste this link into your
browser.
www.testmenu.com/uic
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Where can I get test reference ranges and
specimen requirements?
 Through UIC home page
Home page > Departments > Pathology
Laboratory Services (slide 19)
 Laboratory User’s Guide (slide 20)
 Search: enter test name (slide 21)
 Test specific information (slide 22 and
23)
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Note: Access through other websites may go
directly to slide 21 view.
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Home page > Departments >
Pathology Laboratory Services
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Laboratory User’s Guide
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Lexicomp Search: enter test name
Click on the letter or enter the test name in the
Search box.
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Test specific information
 Search view: all tests that meet the search criteria will
display
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Test specific information
 Test info layout: scroll to bottom to get reference ranges.
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What happens if there is a billing
problem?
 Bills print monthly and should be reviewed
ASAP.
 If there are charges or patients that don’t
belong to your study, contact Curtis Goss,
Grant Administrator, 312-413-2979, Patient
Accounts.
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Study Coordinators Guide to
Laboratory Testing
Let the studies begin!
The End!
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