Supplies
Main Line Health Laboratories provides clients with supplies necessary for the collection, processing, and referral of specimens to our laboratory. Supplies are to be used solely for the purpose of referring specimens to MLHL. There is no charge for supplies used to refer specimens to Main Line Health Laboratories.

Supplies and Laboratory Requisitions may be ordered by faxing an order form to the Client Service Center at 610-977-0070 or by calling a client service representative at 610-229-4200. Please allow 48 to 72 hours for delivery.

Courier
MLHL offers specimen transportation services Monday through Saturday to clients that collect specimens in their offices. Specimens may be picked up on a regular or a will-call basis at a time suitable to office hours. To arrange a pickup schedule, contact Marketing at 610-229-4004 or 610-229-4005.

Test Reporting
Test result availability depends on the nature of the test, the analytical time required and the method of reporting. Critical values are called immediately by the testing laboratory to the ordering physician. STAT values are faxed or called to the physician by the Client Service Center./p> MLHL laboratory reports may be delivered electronically, by an MLHL Courier, through the U.S. postal service, or faxed to your plain-paper fax machine prior to the office opening in the morning.

Verbal reports are available by calling 610-229-4200. Please be prepared to provide the client service representative with the physician's name, location, date of service, the patient's name, and the patient's date of birth or social security number.

Cytopathology reports are available at 610-645-2620. Verbal Anatomic Pathology reports can be obtained by calling the pathology department at the appropriate hospital:

• Bryn Mawr Hospital: 610-526-3768
• Lankenau Hospital and specimens picked up by courier: 610-645-2613
• Paoli Memorial Hospital: 610-648-1152

Verbal HIV results can be given to the physician only. HIV results cannot be faxed.

Turn-Around-Time
Routine turn-around-time for most tests is within 5-8 hours of receipt by the laboratory. Results of specimens delivered by courier are usually available within 24 hours.

STAT and ASAP testing
STAT orders should be reserved for clinically life-threatening situations or when therapy will be immediately affected by the test result. The lab policy is to result STAT orders within one hour of receipt (20 minutes for blood gases). ASAP is an intermediate priority, between STAT and routine. Only tests that are also available STAT (see page 40) may be ordered ASAP. The ASAP priority will enable lab personnel to expedite testing that is more urgent than routine. For outpatients, the ASAP priority is available for patients who present at outpatient registration in the hospitals or for specimens dropped off at the lab. ASAP is not available for specimens drawn at the ambulatory centers or transported by courier from physician offices. Tests ordered ASAP are processed on site at the Lankenau, Bryn Mawr and Paoli laboratories. Results on ASAP specimens will generally be available within two hours from time of collection (or time of receipt in the lab for drop-off specimens).

Test Additions
Additional testing may be ordered by calling the Client Service Center at 610-229-4200 within 1 - 6 days of sample collection, depending upon specimen stability and requirements. State and Federal regulations require that all verbal requests for laboratory testing must be followed up with written verification. The Customer Service Representative will fax the ordering physician an Add-on form, which must be completed and returned for documentation.

Standing Orders
Standing orders must be written on a MLHL Requisition. The following information is required:

• Patient Name
• Test(s) requested
• Frequency (i.e., monthly, weekly, etc.)
• Expiration date.
• ICD9 Diagnosis code(s)

A letter explaining this policy and the patient's responsibility will be given to each outpatient who has a standing lab order. The patient keeps the original order. Registration personnel make a photocopy at each visit, write the expiration date on the order, and remind the patient when the order is close to expiration. It is the patient's responsibility to obtain a renewal order from the physician if necessary.

Professional Consultation
MLHL pathologists offer expert diagnostic consultation and test interpretation service. Our pathologists are available to answer questions concerning your patient's test results. In addition, if your patient is admitted to a Main Line Health facility, our pathologists have rapid access to inpatient records and test results obtained while your patient was at our facility. Whether a outpatient or inpatient, interpretations are based upon results obtained utilizing standardized methods and normal ranges across our three testing sites.

Account Management Team
Your Main Line Health Laboratories Marketing Representative will provide a detailed orientation to your staff on MLHL procedures, before service is initiated. Your representative is available to make personal visits to ensure that the service you receive continually meets your needs and expectations. If you wish to become a client of MLHL, or would like more information, contact MLHL Marketing at 610-229-4004 or 610-229-4005.