Pathology and Laboratory Compliance

The URMC clinical laboratories provide routine, stat, and a broad range of specialized testing services to support the needs of primary care physicians and specialists alike. We are committed to providing the best laboratory service in the region and to staying abreast of the latest innovations in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

As a part of our ongoing efforts to work together in providing optimal laboratory service and meeting all compliance regulations, we share several important recommendations.

Laboratory Requisitions

When completing laboratory requisitions, you can avoid violation of compliance regulations and reduce the number of follow up telephone calls to your office. Keep these points in mind:

  • Please write legibly (this is the most common problem area)!
  • Every requisition needs the: patient name, diagnoses, provider name (for all requests) and signature (currently required only for Medicaid patients) of the requesting health care provider
  • When ordering lab tests with Coverage Policies, it is especially important to provide the most complete and accurate diagnostic description to document the medical reason for the test.
  • Coverage Policies are available upon request. Call Heather Cote at (585)273-5626 or Lisa Curran at 275-1605; coverage policies are also available online (See Related Information below).
  • DO NOT use "rule-out," "suspicious of" or "suggestive of" on outpatient requisitions. Please list the signs and symptoms, or the diagnoses as long as the documentation in the patient's medical record supports the order.
  • When ordering tests to monitor long-term medication, you must include the name of the medication and the reason the patient is on the medication. For example,
    • "Coumadin" and "Atrial Fibrillation"
    • "Tegretol" and "Seizures"
    • "Tacrolimus" and "Liver Transplant"
  • When ordering pre-op lab tests, you must include the diagnosis for the procedure, i.e., "CAD for cardiac cath" or "Pre-op for lung cancer".

For any questions on laboratory compliance issues, please contact Heather Cote at (585)273-5626, or Lisa Curran at 275-1605.

Related Information