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, 2025

News and Updates

Newborn

• Newborn Screening Repeat Samples

  • When entering a repeat sample for newborn screening, please refrain from creating an entirely new patient.  Instead, please try to pick the patient that already exists in the system, even if the name has changed. If the newborn’s name has changed from the last sample, please submit a ticket from the order, and we will update the name in the system.  If you are having a difficult time finding the patient, please try searching by the Medical Record Number. If the initial sample was not taken at your facility please disregard this and create a new patient. Thank you for your help in this matter.

• Request NBS Results for NCAA Sports

  • Student-athletes must provide their school with documentation of their sickle cell trait status to participate in NCAA sports. Hemoglobinopathies are performed as part of the Montana newborn screening panel. Please direct student-athletes to request results by filling out the Patient Request for Release of Laboratory Test Results form and faxing it to 406-444-1802 or emailing it to Jeanne Lee. If the form cannot be presented in person, a notary public must sign the document.

Molecular

• SARS Aptima Test Discontinued 

  • Due to low volumes of testing for SARS-CoV-2, MTPHL will no longer be able to offer testing with the Aptima transport tube. COVID testing will still be available using VTM/UTM.

IT Corner

• New User Access Request Process Coming Soon

  • Now that the transition to OKTA for authentication to the lab portal is complete, we will soon implement a new user access request process. This process will require the authorizing individual to request access for new users through an online platform that requires an OKTA account. Therefore, authorizing individuals will need an OKTA account, regardless of whether they are accessing the lab portal system. Once the request is reviewed and approved by our LIMS staff, the new user(s) will receive an e-mail directing them to create an OKTA account. They will then be able to sign their user attestation form online using their OKTA account. Once this process is complete, we will set up the users in the lab portal, and they will receive an email with instructions on how to access the system. More information will be provided as this project approaches completion, but we wanted to give you a heads-up that it is coming. Meanwhile, please continue to use the user access request forms on our website. The user attestation forms include boxes at the bottom for users to indicate they have an OKTA account. One of these boxes must be checked for us to set up the user in our system, so ensure that new users sign up for an OKTA account before submitting the user attestation forms.

• Patient Addresses 

  • We are encouraging facilities to enter the patient’s address when adding a new patient record to the lab portal. At a minimum, the patient's zip code should be provided. While we understand this adds an extra step, it is necessary to assign the correct jurisdiction when a test result requires public health intervention. This information helps state and local epidemiologists act as quickly as possible. Please note that once patient demographics are saved, facilities cannot change them. Therefore, it's best to enter this information when creating the patient record.

  • For certain test orders, such as measles, a message will prompt you to enter the patient's address. If you see this message and need to add or update an address for an existing patient, please create a ticket from the order and include the patient's address in the description field.

  • Currently, providing this information is voluntary; however, we plan to gather feedback from facilities regarding any challenges they may face if we require address fields at patient entry in the future.

Preparedness

• Laboratory Preparedness Exercise

  • The 2025 CAP LPX-B Preparedness Survey is to be sent to Sentinel Laboratories on September 2, 2025.

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

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

  • Please remember to contact Kim Newman, Laboratory Preparedness Specialist, at the MT Public Health Laboratory with any questions and before referring your cultures for confirmation: (406) 444-3068.

  • This CAP Survey LPX-B 2025 contains essential updated bullet points to assist you in conducting a successful survey.

Dear Labbey, Often when I’m drawing a newborn bloodspot screen, the parents ask what happens to their baby’s blood after testing is complete.  How should I respond to this question? Dear Reader, This is a great question, and I’m glad that you asked.  According to ARM 37.57.32, after the newborn screening testing is complete, the dried blood spots are stored for one calendar year prior to destruction. An exception to this rule applies to specimens with out-of-range results, which may be retained indefinitely and used for quality improvement activities and the validation of new methods. It is important to emphasize that specimens are only utilized for testing related to the conditions outlined in ARM 37.57.301 and are never used for other purposes without obtaining parental consent. Additionally, residual spots are stored without any identifying information in a secure laboratory environment that is not accessible to the public. Specimens can only be identified by accessing our secure laboratory information system. Parents have the right to request the destruction of their baby's blood spots once testing is completed. If the Parental Request for Destruction of Newborn Screening Samples form is notarized, the Montana Public Health Laboratory will destroy the blood spots immediately after testing, provided the results are normal. If the newborn screening results are abnormal, the blood spots will be destroyed after 30 days. Parents need to understand, though, that once the sample is destroyed, no other conditions present at birth can be detected. That would include conditions not on the panel, such as cytomegalovirus-linked congenital hearing loss.

Reminders:

• Dear Labbey

  • Please send in your dear Labbey questions to cfortune@mt.gov. We would love to help answer any questions you have.

• Careers

  • Interested in a Public Health Laboratory career?  Click here to see current vacancies: https://statecareers.mt.gov/.  Search “lab” in the keywords to find vacancies.

• 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 

  • Courier will not be running on labor day, Monday, September 1st, 2025.
    • Courier will continue with normal schedule after this date. 

  • 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.