News & Communications
The benefits of being paperless!
Labtests introduced eOrders, a system which replaces the paper laboratory test request with an electronic version. This eOrder is then available at any one of our 55 collection centres at the time when the patient presents for testing. Generating an eOrder instead of a paper request form means that when patients attend a collection centre, […]
** Faxing of incoming requests and test results to cease on May 31, 2021 **
In June 2019 the Ministry of Health and Accident Compensation Commission released a joint communique defining secure communication within the New Zealand health sector, specifically in regards to email and faxing. The two recommendations are: All emails be transmitted using Transport Layer Security (TLS) no later than January 2020.All analogue faxing to be migrated to […]
Laboratory Update – March 2021
Download PDF version here >>> IMPORTANT – correct completion of COVID-19 swab request forms It is essential that all relevant information is on the request form accompanying COVID-19 specimens. Labtests receives around 2,000 COVID-19 specimens per day and this can increase to 7 – 8,000 specimens during surges when alert levels change and positive community […]
International Day of Women and Girls in Science
Sahanya’s Questions to Natasha: 1. What do you do?Some of the things I do; I operate instruments that run patient samples. In a Biochemistry laboratory, we have blood samples, urine samples that are processed on instruments as presented below.I carry out the specific maintenance for the instrument or instruments, do all the checks like probes […]
RCPA: A behind the scenes look at Pathology through COVID
Featuring Gary McAuliffe, Medical Director for Labtests and Northland Pathology, RCPA take a look at the importance of pathology in Australia and New Zealand throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic.
The Scope November 2020
In this issue: General Managers GreetingsBiochemistry Analyser Change-over from Siemens to RocheAxe the Fax View The Scope November Issue >>>
Laboratory Update 1st October 2020
COVID-19 alert level two update Screening of patients Labtests continues to screen patients attending collection centres during alert level two. For the safety of both patients and staff, patients who respond ‘yes’ to the following questions will be asked to return home and contact their referrer for advice or instructions: Fever or felt feverish in […]
Herculean efforts by lab staff to meet COVID-19 testing demands
Since four new community cases were confirmed in Auckland on 11 August, Labtests has been inundated with COVID-19 tests. General manager Chris Davey, medical director Gary McAuliffe and Susan Smith, head of department of microbiology and molecular talk to reporter Zahra Shahtahmasebi about meeting this demand and what their experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has been like. […]
Apo E Genotype Testing
We have been advised that Canterbury Health Laboratories will introduce Pathologist review for all Apo E Genotype requests from 1st September 2020 We have been advised the criteria for acceptance is: Appropriate requests from specialist neurologists, psychiatrists, geriatricians, geneticists, cardiologists, and chemical pathologists will be approved.For requests from General Practitioners the clinical indication for testing […]
The Scope August 2020
In this issue: Requesting Calcitriol (1,250H Vitamin D3 )When a positive result means no problem: Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and DFS 70Secure Digital Communications – Replacement of faxesNotice of Chemistry Platform Change to Roche View The Scope August issue >>>