Provincial

• BRAF, EGFR, and KRAS Cancer Biomarker Testing (December 18, 2012)
• 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Testing (December 12, 2012)
• Globin Gene Deletion Screening for Alpha Thalassemia (November 22, 2012)
• Standardization of Glucose Reference Intervals and Critical Values (October 19, 2012)
• Update - Downtime Procedure for Newborn Metabolic Screening (July 17, 2012)
• Downtime Procedure for Newborn Metabolic Screening (July 13, 2012)
• Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Phenotype (June 26, 2012)
• Definition & Timing for Fasting Glucose Test; Glucose Tolerance Test Decision Cut-off Point (June 4, 2012)
• Discontinuation of Vancomycin Peak (Post) Level Testing (March 23, 2012)
• Oral Pathology Results in Netcare (March 21, 2012)
• B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) On-Site Availability and Test Utilization Criteria (February 29, 2012)
• Detection of Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in Nasal and Ear Fluids (February 16, 2012)

Provincial Laboratory for Public Health (ProvLab)

• Cessation in Testing for Respiratory Viruses, other than Influenza Viruses, from Community Patients (December 19, 2012)
• Transitioning of platforms/assays for HIV viral load testing to the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay (December 14, 2012)
• Transitioning to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for routine cytomegalovirus (CMV) testing in urine samples (December 12, 2012)
• Testing for Novel Coronavirus (November 19, 2012)
• Implementation of Dengue virus serology assays (IgM and IgG) at ProvLab (August 24, 2012)
• Modification of Viral Testing on CSF samples to include parechoviruses (August 14, 2012)
• Change in viral testing for HSV and VZV on swabs from lesions or ulcers, and eye swabs (August 2, 2012)
• Change in viral testing for HSV and VZV for broncho-alveolar lavages and tissue biopsies (August 2, 2012)
• New Laboratory Information System Implementation for Provincial Laboratory for Public Health (July 16, 2012)
• West Nile Virus Diagnostic Testing – Update for 2012 (June 1, 2012)
  • West Nile Virus Screening 2012 (June 1, 2012)
  • How to Interpret Acute West Nile Virus Test Results (2012)
  • Arbovirus Patient History Form (ProvLab)
• Galactomannan antigen reporting and the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (April 30, 2012)
• Update for CMV Viral Load: Implementation of a New Assay and Reporting in International Units (April 13, 2012)
• Change in Serological Testing for Lyme disease (April 12, 2012)
  • Appendix – Laboratory Testing for Lyme disease in Alberta - March 2012
• Notice on enhanced CSF testing for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) at the National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) (March 23, 2012)
• CMV Viral Load: Implementation of a New Assay and Reporting in International Units (March 2, 2012)
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) RNA Testing Change (March 1, 2012)
• Discontinuation of second trimester syphilis screening on pregnant women (January 24, 2012)

North Zone

• Change in PTT Heparin Therapeutic Range Level (November 28, 2012)
• Discontinuation of Chlamydia trachomatis Direct Fluorescent Antibody Testing (November 23, 2012)
• Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) B-27 Test Consolidation (November 21, 2012)
• Test Orders on Community Patient Requisitions (October 24, 2012)
• Consolidation of Toxicology and Trace Element Testing (October 18, 2012)
• Change in Collection of Sterile Fluids for Culture and Sensitivity (October 15, 2012)
• Standardization of Laboratory Processing & Reporting for Interpretation of Vaginal Specimens (September 11, 2012)
• Changes for B, T and NK Lymphocyte Enumeration, CD19/CD20 Lymphocyte Enumeration and T-Lymph Subsets CD3/4/8 (September 5, 2012)
• Implementation for Definition & Timing for Fasting Glucose Test; Glucose Tolerance Test Decision Cut-off Point (August 14, 2012)
• Issuing of Transfusion Medicine Patient Notification Letters (July 31, 2012)
• Clostridium difficile Toxin Detection (July 30, 2012)
• Quantitative D-Dimer Testing at Slave Lake Healthcare Centre and Wabasca/Demarais Healthcare Centre (July 18, 2012)
• Accessing Results for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Swabs in Netcare (July 18, 2012)
• 2011 Antibiograms for the Edmonton Zone and Northern Lights Regional Health Centre (Fort McMurray) (July 18, 2012)
• **Notice of Delayed Implementation** Definition & Timing for Fasting Glucose Test; Glucose Tolerance Test Decision Cut-off Point (July 13, 2012)
• Transition of Former Aspen & East Central Referral Work to DynaLIFEdx (DL) (July 10, 2012)
• New Reference Ranges for Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (June 11, 2012)
• **Revised** Test Changes for Ketone – Introduction of Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (May 28, 2012)
• Submission Requirements for Maternal Prenatal Screen Requisition (May 22, 2012)
• Discontinuation of Urine Reducing Substances and Fecal Reducing (April 27, 2012)
• Standardized Testing and Reporting for Interpretation of Vaginal Specimens (March 21, 2012)
• B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) On-Site Availability and Test Utilization Criteria (February 29, 2012)
• On-Site Testing for Lactate at Grande Cache Community Health Complex (February 14, 2012)
• Change of service provider for Ova and Parasite testing (January 31, 2012)

Edmonton Zone

• Massive Hemorrhage Protocol Policy and Procedure – Revised (December 20, 2012)
• Reflex P16 Ordering on Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (November 30, 2012)
• Discontinuation of Chlamydia trachomatis Direct Fluorescent Antibody Testing (November 23, 2012)
• Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) B-27 Test Consolidation (November 21, 2012)
• Opening of New East Edmonton Health Centre Laboratory (October 24, 2012)
• Consolidation of Toxicology and Trace Element Testing (October 18, 2012)
• Update on Labels Supporting the Change in PTT Heparin Therapeutic Range Level Affecting Patient Care Orders (October 11, 2012)
• Change in PTT Heparin Therapeutic Range Level Affecting Patient Care Orders (September 21, 2012)
• Change in PTT Reference, PTT Heparin and PTT Critical Ranges at Edmonton Zone Inpatient Sites (September 21, 2012)
• Standardization of Laboratory Processing & Reporting for Interpretation of Vaginal Specimens (September 11, 2012)
• Changes for B, T and NK Lymphocyte Enumeration, CD19/CD20 Lymphocyte Enumeration and T-Lymph Subsets CD3/4/8 (September 5, 2012)
• Accessing Results for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Swabs in Netcare (July 18, 2012)
• 2011 Antibiograms for the Edmonton Zone and Northern Lights Regional Health Centre (Fort McMurray) (July 18, 2012)
• Implementation of new Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate collection tubes (July 18, 2012)
• Relocation of UAH Outpatient Laboratory from Walter C. Mackenzie Centre to Edmonton Clinic (July 17, 2012)
• Submission Requirements for Maternal Prenatal Screen Requisition (May 22, 2012)
• Discontinuation of Urine Reducing Substances and Fecal Reducing Substances Tests (April 2, 2012)
• New oral anticoagulants – Direct Thrombin Inhibitors & Direct Factor Xa inhibitors (March 13, 2012)
• Detection of Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in Nasal and Ear Fluids (February 16, 2012)
• Normal Range Change for Folate Assay (January 26, 2012)

Central Zone

• Iron Testing (Iron, TIBC and Iron Saturation) (December 14, 2012)
• Discontinuation of Chlamydia trachomatis Direct Fluorescent Antibody Testing (November 23, 2012)
• Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) B-27 Test Consolidation (November 21, 2012)
• Consolidation of Toxicology and Trace Element Testing (October 18, 2012)
• Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) – Reference Range Change (September 17, 2012)
• Standardization of Laboratory Processing & Reporting for Interpretation of Vaginal Specimens (September 11, 2012)
• Changes for B, T and NK Lymphocyte Enumeration, CD19/CD20 Lymphocyte Enumeration and T-Lymph Subsets CD3/4/8 (September 5, 2012)
• Implementation for Definition & Timing for Fasting Glucose Test; Glucose Tolerance Test Decision Cut-off Point (August 14, 2012)
• Urine Protein Concentration by Urinalysis (August 14, 2012)
• Accessing Results for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Swabs in Netcare (July 18, 2012)
• 2011 Antibiogram for Central Zone – Former DTHR Sites (July 18, 2012)
• **Notice of Delayed Implementation** Definition & Timing for Fasting Glucose Test; Glucose Tolerance Test Decision Cut-off Point (July 13, 2012)
• Transition of Former Aspen & East Central Referral Work to DynaLIFEdx (DL) (July 10, 2012)
• Vitamin B12 – Interference from Intrinsic Factor Blocking Antibodies (May 29, 2012)
• **Revised**Test Changes for Ketone – Introduction of Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (May 28, 2012)
• Test Changes for Ketones (May 28, 2012)
• Submission Requirements for Maternal Prenatal Screen Requisition (May 22, 2012)
• Notification of Administration of Blood or Blood Products Form (May 07, 2012)
• Notification of Administration of Blood or Blood Products (May 07, 2012)
• Discontinuation of Urine Reducing Substances and Fecal Reducing (April 27, 2012)
• Quantitative D-Dimer Test (April 24, 2012)
• B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) On-Site Availability and Test Utilization Criteria (February 29, 2012)
• Creatinine – Conversion to IDMS Standardization and Revised Reference Ranges (February 16, 2012)
• Standardized Reporting for Interpretation of Vaginal Specimens (February 6, 2012)
• Urine Collection Container Change for Urine hCG (Pregnancy Test) (February 3, 2011)
• Change of service provider for Ova and Parasite testing (January 31, 2012)

Calgary Zone

• Ionized Calcium (iCa) on the i-STAT Analyzer (April 5, 2012)
• Elevated Potassium Results on the i-STAT Analyzer (April 5, 2012)

South Zone

• Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) B-27 Test Consolidation (November 21, 2012)
• Revised Non-Gynecological Cytology Request Form (101945-2012-07) (November 1, 2012)
• Qualitative Fat Testing (Stool) (October 31, 2012)
• Swabs for Anaerobic Culture (October 30, 2012)
• D-Dimer Meditech Ordering Changes (October 25, 2012)
• Discontinuation of Bleeding Time Test at Bow Island Health Centre and Brooks Health Centre (October 25, 2012)
• Change to Distribution of Local Lab Bulletins (October 4, 2012)
• Venous Blood Gas Results Will Now Include pH, PCO2, Hemoglobin, Electrolytes, Glucose and Lactate Levels (September 11, 2012)
• I-STAT 1 Implementation in Brooks Health Centre and Big Country Hospital (August 31, 2012)
• Change to Weekend Service at Crowsnest Pass Health Centre Laboratory (August 20, 2012)
• Change to Weekday Laboratory Hours of Operation at Brooks Health Centre (August 17, 2012)
• Implementation for Definition & Timing for Fasting Glucose Test; Glucose Tolerance Test Decision Cut-off Point (August 14, 2012)
• Name Change for Chinook Regional Hospital Accessioning Area (August 14, 2012)
• New Supplier for Anaerobic Transport Media (July 17, 2012)
• Changes to Physician Information Lab Request Form 101940 and How the Information is Used to Generate Reports to Family Physicians (July 17, 2012)
• **Notice of Delayed Implementation** Definition & Timing for Fasting Glucose Test; Glucose Tolerance Test Decision Cut-off Point (July 13, 2012)
• Collection of Maternal Blood for Stem Cell Banking (July 6, 2012)
• Sending Laboratory Samples VIA Pneumatic Tube System (PTS) (July 5, 2012)
• Change to Out-patient Hours of Service at Brooks Health Centre (Hospital) Laboratory (June 28, 2012)
• Cord blood and Fetal maternal Bleed Screen Test Changes (June 21, 2012)
• Positive Blood Culture Reporting (June 18, 2012)
• Cardiac High Sensitivity-CRP (Hs-CRP) Testing Change to Testing Site and Reporting (June 11, 2012)
• Mobile Laboratory Collections for Lethbridge Assisted Living / Long Term Care Facilities ( June 11, 2012)
• **ALERT** Vitamin B12 Testing Reinstated
• Vitamin B12 – Interference from Intrinsic Factor Blocking Antibodies (May 29, 2012)
• **Revised**Test Changes for Ketone – Introduction of Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (May 28, 2012)
• **ALERT** Anaerobic Culture Transport Media (May 24, 2012)
• Standardized Order Entry of Lab Tests in LAB Category (March 28, 2012)
• Changes to Transfusion Medicine Request Form (March 15, 2012)
• Blood Gas Specimens Should Be Left at Room Temperature (March 9, 2012)
• Routine Test Priority for Selected Tests in ICU and Emergency Departments (March 8, 2012)
• B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) On-Site Availability and Test Utilization Criteria (February 29, 2012)
• Laboratory Change to Reporting Structure and Responsibilities (February 28, 2012)
• Handling of Public Health Specimens (January 27, 2012)
• Changes to Laboratory Test menu (January 6, 2012)