Notices | McGill University Health Centre

C hange In Testing Sites for Out of Province Tests for Certain Autoimmune Diseases from MitogenDx to In‐Common Laboratories - MUHC OPTILAB - Sendout Lab (2025-04-14)

Test Registration of C-Peptide, C-Telopeptide and Anti-CCP (2025-02-18)

RNA and other labile samples (2025-02-18)

Change in Testing Sites for Out of Province Tests that are Now In Province (2025-02-18)

February Holiday – February 10 and February 14, 2025 (2025-02-03)

Termination of Urinary Eosinophils (20342) (2025-01-30)

Total Bilirubin – Reference Intervals Update (2025-01-10)

Flu Season (2024-11-13)

Rejection of FFPE based samples sent to Molecular testing (2024-11-11)

Request for Electrophoresis Analysis – FINAL REMINDER (2024-10-31)

Lp (a) Analysis Change (2024-10-18)

Statutory Holidays month of October 2024 (2024 10 08)

Glen Site - Microbiology Laboratory -Bordetella PCR, Puritan transport medium (2024-09 -12)

New Linear limit - D-Dimer test - MUHC, Glen site (2024-09-10)

Labour Day – September 2nd, 2024 (2024-08-19)

Bordetella NAAT testing (2024-08-09)

August Holiday – August 05, 2024 (2024-07-30)

Glen-Molecular Genetics -Laboratory Testing for BRCA (2024-07-29)

CORRECTION: Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) – CKD-EPI 2021 Equation (2024-07-10)

Use of specimen coolers to transport documents/patient results/test reports (2024-07-08)

Return of Purolator Boxes (2024-07-04)

Proper Aliquots for Urine Chemistry Tests and Drugs of Abuse (2023-06-12)

National Holiday – June 24th, 2024 & Canada Day – July 1st, 2024 (2024-06-12)

Termination of Buffy Coat for Sezary Cells Analysis (2024-06-10)

Termination of Urine Hemosiderin Test (30233) (2024-05-29)

Transport of Specimens via the Pneumatic Tube System (2024-05-29)

Cancellation of Improperly Filled Coagulation Testing Tubes (2024-05-23)

Influenza and respiratory virus testing (2024-05-22)

Request for Urine Protein Electrophoresis (2024-05-10)

Discontinuation of the receipt of pathology specimens from territories beyond the Optilab-CUSM cluster (2024-05-03)

Transfer of TB-Quantiferon to Microbiology Laboratory (2024-05-02)

Cessation of Lamellar Bodies Testing (30208) (2024-04-23)

Coolers Used for Transportation of Specimens (2024-04-22)

Acceptable Aliquot Tubes for Immunology Tests (2024-04-18)

Jewish General Hospital - Holiday - Passover – April 23, 2024 (2024-04-17)

OPTILAB MUHC Cluster-all sites - Statutory Holidays 2024-2025 (2024-04-08)

Quantitative PCR (NAAT) for Pneumocystis jirovecii (2024-04-04)

Important Reminders for Flow Cytometry Requests (2024-03-27)

Easter Holidays (2024-03-20)

Request for Electrophoresis Analysis (2024-02-29)

Transfer of Specialty Tests to the Jewish General Hospital (2024-02-28)

Occult blood (GUAIAC) service discontinued - Lachine site (2024-02-02)

February Holiday – February 5 and February 9, 2024 (2024-01-26)

Testosterone Testing - Service Slow Down (2024-01-19)

Update on Send Out Tests: In province and Out of Province (2024-01-17)

Anti-ovarian antibody test discontinued (2024-01-03)

Instrument error – CBC reliability of results (2023-12-27)

Cessation of testing for thiocyanate (2023 12 22)

Stop offering RAPID COVID test at MGH (2023 12 22)

Staffing shortage during the holiday season (2023 12 21)

Restriction of Add-On Test Requests (2023-12-20)

Seasons Holidays 2023-2024 (2023-12-04)

Change of Testing Method for Anti‐Neuronal Antibodies (2023-12-12)

Strike from the Common Front (APTS, CSN, and SCFP) for December 08 until 14, 2023 (2023-11-05)

Reduced Send-Out Services: 08 December to 14 December 2023 (2023-11-30)

Appointment of new Site Chief of Medical Microbiology, Glen site (2023-11-29)

New Helicobacter pylori stool antigen test (2023-11-22)

Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory Updated Requisitions updated (2023-11-21)

Reduced Send-Out Services: 21-23 November (2023-11-16)

Strike from the Common Front (APTS, CSN, and SCFP) for November 21, 22 and 23, 2023 (2023-11-14)

Strike on November 6, 2023 of APTS, CSN, SCFP-FTQ unions (2023-11-01)

Reduced Send-Out Services (2023-10-31)

Termination of Low Volume Hematology Tests (2023-10-31)

Changes to the diagnostic glossaries of CYTOPATHOLOGY reports (2023-10-20)

Urine Oxalate Test – Notice of Temporary Service Suspension (2023-10-16)

Acceptable Syringes for Blood Gas Analysis (2023-10-17)

Aliquots for Vitamin A and E (2023-10-16)

New Guidelines for Requesting Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Testing - Update (2023-10-10)

Changes to the Malaria test offered on nights at the Glen site (2023-09-25)

Update of Stool Ova & Parasite process - Pediatric (2023-09-18)

Rosh Hashanah – September 15 2023 and Yom Kippur – September 25 2023 (2023-09-07)

Shortage of Homocysteine assay reagent for automated assay (2023-08-23)

Urine Citrate test – Notice of service slowdown (2023-08-23)

Testing for rapid HSV and VZV through viral encephalitis panel (2023-08-21)

Changes of reference value, and interpretation on anti-tTG IgA test (2023-08-17)

Iron profile – Resuming transferrin measurement (2023-08-08)

Testing for Histoplasma, Blastomyces, Coccidioides or Beta-D-Glucan and mandatory documents. (2023-07-20)

Free T3 reagent problem October 26 to December 6 (2023-07-17)

August Holiday – August 07 2023 (2023-07-13)

National Holiday and Canada Day (2023-06-23)

Increase in turnaround time for reporting of chromosomal microarray lab results (2023-06-21)

Changes of testing method for anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), anti-smooth muscle antibodies (SMP: including AMA, ASMA and APCA) (2023-06-14)

Temporary Closure of HPLC Bench) (2023-06-13)

Reduced Send-Out Services (2023-06-13)

Samples from outside the MUHC sent for bacteriology or fungal identification and susceptibility testing (2023-06-12)

Changes to Mycoplasma/Ureaplasma tests (2023-06-06)

Influenza and respiratory virus testing (2023-05-29)

Dollard Day – May 22 2023 (2023-05-08)

Local implementation of Total Bile Acids Measurement (2023-04-17)

New Guidelines for Requesting Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate Testing (2023-04-14)

Temporary interruption of lymphocyte stimulation assay (2023-04-14)

Update - how to contact the Cytogenetics laboratory (2023-03-31)

CFU-GM test not offered in Stem Cell Laboratory (2023-03-27)

NADAL COVID-19 IgG/IgM Serology test will no longer be available (2023-03-27)

April Holidays – April 6, 7 and 10 April, 2023 (2023-03-14)

Acceptable Specimen Container for Urinalysis Requests (2023-02-02)

February Holiday - February 6 and February 10, 2023 (2023-01-16)

Discontinuation of test Helicobacter pylori IgG (2023-01-17)

Temporary Unavailability of Lymphocyte Stimulation Testing (2023-01-19)

Avoidance of interfering substances when obtaining a sample for cobas Chlamydia trachomatis /Neisseria gonnorhea test (cobas CT/NG tttest) (2023-01-16)

STI sample collection guidance

New Specimen Requirements: Aldosterone and Renin Assays (2023-01-01)

Pathology specimens no longer accepted (2022-11-22)

JGH - SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses (2022-11-14)

CORRECTION - Updated workflow and Indications for Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT) for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-11-14)

Reminder – Unlabelled specimens received in Microbiology will be rejected (2022-11-09)

Delay in HbA1c analysis (2022 10 27)

H. pylori antigen testing on stool samples (2022-10-20)

REMINDER: Expired hemoculture bottles (2022-10-19)

REMINDER: Reference number (2022-10-11)

New kits and platform for BK virus and JC virus quantitative viral load testing - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-10-17)

REMINDER: Rosh Hashanah : September 26, 2022 and Yom Kippur: October 5, 2022 (2022-09-12)

REMINDER: Decentralization of Central Reception – MUHC, Glen Site - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-09-07)

Reminder - Procedure for sending samples from patients with known or suspected infection with Monkeypox - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-09-06)

Labour Day – September 5, 2022 - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-08-19)

Decentralization of Central Reception – MUHC, Glen Site - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-08-10)

Workflow and Indications for Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT) for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-07-26)

Conservation and Transport of Specimens - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-08-02)

Workflow and Indications for Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT) for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-07-26)

Interruption of Estrone and DHEA analysis - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-07-22)

Change of Assay and Reference Range for IGF1 (2022-07-20)

Modified Testing Schedule of Lymphocyte Stimulation Test – Central Laboratory, Glen Site - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-07-11)

2022-2023 Statutory Holidays - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-05-12)

New molecular tests for HIV-1, Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C (HCV) (2022-05-16)

Changes to Trichomonas vaginalis testing and Correction to Swab Catalogue Numbers (2022-05-16)

Changes to Trichomonas vaginalis testing (2022-04-28)

Changes to the Ordering of Specific Allergy Tests - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-04-08)

Guide on the utilization of blood procurement tubes - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-04-06)

Workflow and Indications for Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT) for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses- MUHC OPTILAB (2022-03-23)

Changes for allergy testing (Immunoglobulin IGE specific)- MUHC OPTILAB (2022-02-18)

Transfer of Clonazepam testing to Centre de toxicologie du Québec - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-03-15)

Acceptable Specimen Container for Urinalysis Requests – External Clients (2022-03-10)

Updated documentation for pediatric autopsy request - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-03-02)

NT-PRO-BNP Collections Instructions – Central Laboratory, Glen Site (2022-02-18)

New NT-proBNP Assay Central Laboratory, Glen Site - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-02-15)

Transport of COVID samples to the Microbiology lab for molecular testing - Grappe OPTILAB CUSM (2022-01-27)

Urine Catecholamine and metanephrine testing - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-01-24)

Change in Cyclosporine Assay – Central Laboratory – Glen Site - MUHC OPTILAB (2022-01-24)

Central Laboratory, Glen Site: Delay in Turn-Around Times - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-12-17)

Revised placental pathology requisition and new Cytogenetics - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-12-03)

FGFR3 Testing - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-12-01)

HCV qualitative PCR - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-11-25)

Introduction of Flow Cytometry Requisition - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-11-22)

Replacement of Transferrin by UIBC - UPDATE - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-11-22)

Glen site, MGH and Lachine Hospital laboratory contact list - Revised - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-11-12)

Glen site, MGH and Lachine Hospital laboratory contact list - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-11-11)

Reminder of the Mandatory Requirement of a « pick-up slip » for Products from the Blood Bank - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-11-10)

Reminder: Computer system update of transfusion service (e-Traceline) - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-02-09)

β-hydroxybutyrate Method Change - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-11-02)

Replacement of Transferrin by UIBC - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-11-02)

Remembrance Day – November 11th, 2021 - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-10-19)

Computer system update of transfusion service (e-Traceline) - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-10-25)

Change to BNP assay availability – GLEN Central Laboratory - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-10-21)

New test : NT-Pro BNP - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-10-05)

Acceptable Specimen Container for Aliquotted Specimens - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-09-29)

Discontinuing Osmometry Testing Onsite at Lachine Campus - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-09-29)

Labour Day – September 6, 2021 - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-08-23)

Revision of access priorities for COVID-19 testing -Update of the external Requisition for COVID-19 (DM-6310) - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-08-19)

Acceptable Specimen Container for Urinalysis Requests - MUHC OPTILAB (2021-08-05)

Central Laboratory, Glen Site: Change in Testing Schedule - Increased Turn-Around-Times - REVISED (2021-08-03)

Night shift staff in the Lachine laboratory (2021-06-25)

Temporary interruption of chromosome breakage testing for Fanconi Anemia (2021-06-25)

Rapid COVID PCR test (2021-05-10)

Rapid COVID PCR test (2021-04-29)

Delay in result reporting of pneumococcal antibodies (2021-04-08)

Temporary interruption of BNP analysis (2021-03-08)

Change to automated chemical urinalysis reporting – Glen site & Lachine Hospital (2021-03-09)

Change in testing schedule - Increased TATs (2021-02-25)

Modified schedule for bone marrow procurement (2021-02-24)

"Stool Parasite PCR” specimens sent during the COVID Pandemic (2020-06-26)

Temporary suspension or postponement of some tests in order to reallocate resources to COVID-19 (2020-03-23)

Decreasing activity in test center and call for reducing non-essential testing (2020-03-18)