In order to maintain an adequate chain of custody, I remind all of you we must have two unique identifiers on each urine cup, or tube, sent to the lab along with that patient’s requisition form.
Recently we have received some sample cups and tubes with only one identifier as well as a few with no identifiers at all. We will be forced to reject any samples where the cup or tube does not have two unique identifiers, as the risk for reporting accurately is compromised without the necessary identifying information on the cups/tubes.
The importance of this was highlighted just this week when a clinic accidentally put the wrong patient’s cup in the bio-hazard bag with another patient’s req form. Fortunately, they had put the two unique identifiers (name and date of birth) on the two samples that were switched and we could match them with the patient requisition forms at the lab.
On a more positive note, I would like to say that all of the lab employees appreciate the efforts of all of you who insure the tops are either twisted on evenly and tightly, or the tops are snapped down completely on both sides. Our countertops have been much drier and the scent of stale urine in the morning has decreased considerably. Thank you.
Leaving 2019 in the rearview mirror, I encourage all of you to look forward, through a windshield of anticipation and hope, as we enter a new decade in the year 2020. Our relationship with you as your drug testing lab is not taken for granted and does not go unappreciated. The same can be repeated for those of you who work for us as collectors. I realize it may appear to be a thankless job, however, I am here to say thank you. As stated in the first paragraph all of us here cannot express highly enough how we appreciate a job well done when it comes to collecting, documenting, and packing the urine samples correctly.
In closing this last blog of the year, I wish all of you a safe and
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
As always we thank you for your business.
Lance Benedict
President/CEO Industry Lab Diagnostic Partners
12/27/2019