Montana Laboratory Sentinel

Updates from the MT Laboratory Services Bureau
Phone: 800-821-7284 Fax: 406-444-1802
Lab Website

Lab Manual 

(Please reference this for testing or submission questions.)

August, 2024

MT PHL Employee Highlight: I’m Janel Mason. I’ve been working in the PHL for about a year and a half; I worked in the state’s Environmental Lab the previous 9 years. I can be found in the molecular, food, microbiology and (now training in) mycobacteriology labs. My favorite part of my job is the awesome group of people I get to work with every day! Outside of work I enjoy relaxing with my husband and two dogs, and I’m super excited about the trip to Belize we are taking this fall.

News and Updates 

Specimen Transport

• URGENT: Specimen Transport Temperatures

  • Following national regulatory requirements, the Montana Public Health Laboratory is implementing a more stringent process for verifying specimen integrity. To help ensure that specimen integrity is not compromised during transport, we will be recording temperatures inside coolers upon receipt. If a specimen(s) is not shipped appropriately and/or a temperature is found to be out of range upon receipt, the specimen(s) will be rejected.

  • Please ensure your cold packs are thoroughly frozen before packaging. Many cold packs are arriving thawed, which should not happen in overnight transport if they are properly frozen.

  • Take time to ensure your specimens are being packaged and transported under appropriate conditions to avoid rejection. This may include adding extra ice packs in the warmer months.

  • Please help us with this process. We do not want to reject specimens any more than you want them rejected, but we must follow the regulatory requirements.

  • You can place an order online if you need extra transport supplies (coolers, cold packs, specimen transport bags) to help comply with this request.

  • Acceptable transport temperatures for specimens can be found in the Public Health Laboratory Services manual. Montana Public Health Laboratory Services Manual (mt.gov).

  • Temperature Ranges:
    • Room temperature/Ambient: 15-25°C
    • Refrigerated: 2-8°C
    • Frozen: ≤-20°C

IT Corner

• Lab Portal Tips- Placing order on existing Patients

  • Did you know you could enter an MR or DOB in the patient field on order patient samples to find a patient when entering an order? This is especially useful for repeat newborn screens where the patient’s name can change from one sample to the next. Please click here for more information.

• Viewing Historical Results

  • Click here to see a helpful hint to view historical results.

Microbiology

• Disruptions in Availability of BD BACTEC^TM Blood Culture Bottles

  • The Montana Public Health Laboratory recently received a Health Alert Network (HAN) from CDC regarding the shortage of BD blood culture bottles which has the potential to disrupt patient care.

  • For more information, please click here.

• New Reportable Condition

  • The state Epidemiology and Scientific Support Bureau (ESBB) recently updated the Administrative Rules for diseases that need to be immediately reported to your local health jurisdictions. Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as Group A Streptococcus, is now a reportable condition. Only culture positives from invasive sites (blood, CSF) need to be reported unless it is related to a Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS) case. All STSS-related cases also need to be reported.

    • You do not need to report antigen or NAAT positive tests.

    • Isolates may be requested for additional testing in outbreak situations.

    • For questions, please contact ESBB staff at 406-444-0273.

Newborn

• NBS Advisory Committee

  • The Montana Newborn Screening Advisory Committee is seeking new members. The composition of the committee is set forth under section 50-19-205, MCA, and consists of 12 members appointed by the Director of the Department of Public Health and Human Services and comprises various qualifications. We are currently seeking members to begin in the Fall of 2024. Please click here to read more.

Preparedness

• LPX-B Survey

  • The 2024 CAP LPX-B Preparedness Survey is to be sent to Sentinel Laboratories on September 3, 2024.

  • An important aspect of this Preparedness Exercise is the Packaging and Shipping Exercise component.

  • Organisms that Sentinel Labs cannot rule out as Select Agents should be referred to the Montana Public Health Laboratory.

  • Remember to contact Crystal Fortune, Biosafety and Training Specialist, at the MT Public Health Laboratory with any questions and before referring your cultures for confirmation: 1(406)444-0930.

  • This CAP Survey LPX-B document has important bullet points to assist you in a successful survey.

Reminders:

• Lab Portal Information

  • All of our lab portal procedures and access paperwork can be found on our website. Here is the link to the direct page with all of our forms and procedures: https://dphhs.mt.gov/publichealth/LaboratoryServices/onlineorderingandresults.

  • There is also a link in our lab portal that will take you directly to this page. This link can be found under quick links. "MT PHL Lab Portal Procedures and Forms". 

• Courier 

  • The Courier will NOT pick up on July, 4th but will resume their schedule on July 5th.

  • Please click here for our full courier schedule.

• Previous Laboratory Sentinels 

  • All previous Laboratory Sentinels can be found on our website on the column on the left hand side by selecting "Public Health Laboratory Newsletter". Here is a link to all our previous Laboratory Sentinels.