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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.)
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Employee Highlight
We are pleased to announce that Jaqueline Dixon has been selected as MTPHL's new Molecular Supervisor. Jaqueline previously served as the Molecular Lead Scientist, demonstrating strong leadership skills and extensive knowledge in her assigned areas. She will be a valuable addition to the management team.
When she’s not in the lab, Jaqueline and her husband can be found relaxing in hot springs, exploring a national park, or backpacking their favorite trails.
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News and Updates
Government Shutdown
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Laboratory Functions
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The government shutdown has not affected service at the Montana Public Health Laboratory. The laboratory is operational and accepting samples for testing. However, referral testing to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may be affected. Some testing has been put on hold, while other testing will require preapproval with anticipated delays. If you have a specimen that requires referral testing at the CDC, please call us in advance.
Microbiology
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Norovirus
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Norovirus season is upon us. Please send all positive norovirus specimens to MTPHL. Please order “Hold” then choose Norovirus. Norovirus testing and sequencing will be performed at no cost on identified outbreak specimens. Thank you for supporting our Norovirus surveillance efforts.
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Click here for more information.
Molecular
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Reminder: It's Respiratory Season
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Respiratory Panel Available
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The Montana Public Health Laboratory has a respiratory panel available on the Hologic Panther. The panel includes SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A, Influenza B, and RSV. The acceptable specimen types include an NP swab in viral transport medium (VTM) or universal transport medium (UTM), stored and transported in cold condition (2°C - 8°C). To order, select “Respiratory Panel” on the online portal. The CPT code is 87801, and the price is $115.
IT Corner
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Ordering Patient Samples
- Please remember that when ordering patient samples to leave any test that are added after you selected the test/panel you want. These tests are added because they are all tested together. If you don't want a test on the order please don't delete it, instead put in a ticket from the order and we will contact you to discuss our process and any concerns you have.
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Ordering Test on Correct Patients
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When ordering tests for existing patients (such as repeat newborn screens), please make sure you have selected the correct patient. We have had several instances where an order was placed on a parent or sibling patient record, or on a different patient with the same name.
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To ensure you have selected the correct patient, double-check the birth date and the MR. When entering a newborn screen, if the patient’s birth date is more than three months in the past, a warning message will appear. Please pay attention to any warning messages that appear.
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When entering an order, you may use the MR or DOB (DD/MM/YYYY) in the patient search field rather than the name, which can help to ensure you are selecting the correct patient.
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An alternative is to look for the patient first using the global search at the top of the screen, and when the patient is found, go to the demographics screen to verify ALL the patient information (such as mother’s name/birth weight/birth order for newborn sceens), then use the options menu and click “New Order.” This will start a new order with that patient’s information populated.
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If you are in doubt, create a new patient record. It is much easier for us to merge duplicate patients than to fix the situation when an order is placed on the wrong patient. This also puts the sample at risk of being rejected.
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Upcoming changes to user access request process
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We are working with our IT department on a new, automated user access request process for the lab portal. When this process is implemented, authorizing individuals will be able to request access for their staff online using their OKTA account. The user will then receive an email with instructions about how to create their OKTA account and complete their user attestation online. Once their lab portal account is set up, the user will receive an automated email with instructions about how to access the application. We will make an announcement when this process is ready for use.
Preparedness
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Annual Sentinel Clinical Laboratory Database
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All clinical laboratories that are capable of analyzing or referring samples that may contain microbial agents are considered sentinel laboratories, as they are the first to recognize a potential biothreat agent in a human specimen.
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Some MT clinical laboratories have been certified as meeting the APHL definition of a sentinel clinical lab, which includes in-house testing of gram stains, and at least one of the following cultures: lower respiratory tract, wound, or blood.
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The MTLSB is required to maintain a database of all MT clinical laboratories that perform basic microbiological testing in the state.
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If your laboratory performs basic microbiological testing, including those labs already certified as a Sentinel Clinical Lab, please fill out the following form and return it to Kim Newman, knewman@mt.gov, by November 30, 2025. This information will populate the state database for clinical laboratory response capabilities.
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Sentinel Clinical Laboratories Criteria for Certification fillable PDF.
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For questions, call Kim Newman, Laboratory Preparedness Specialist, at 1-406-444-3068.
What's Eating at You in Your Lab?
Tis the season, the season to eat! I’ve heard it said that October marks the downward spiral into holiday obesity, and while this article is not about obesity, it is about all of the delicious treats that start trickling in. Between October and December, we get to indulge in candy, sweet and savory baked goods, and delicious casseroles. However, in the laboratory, we don’t often have time to sit in a breakroom and enjoy, if we even have a breakroom…
What’s a lab rat to do? Click here for more information.
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Reminders:
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Dear Labbey
- Please send in your dear Labbey questions to cfortune@mt.gov. We would love to help answer any questions you have.
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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.
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Lab Portal Information
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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.
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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".
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Courier
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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.
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