SPECIMEN REJECTION CRITERIA

Specimens to which the following conditions apply will be rejected, returned to the originating site or specimen processing delayed. The physician office will be notified.

1. Specimen is submitted without a test request form.
2. Specimen is not labeled with the patient’s full name (for slides, the frosted end must be labeled with the patient’s first and last name in pencil).
3. The patient name (or other identifying information) on the specimen and test request form do not correspond.
4. The specimen is labeled appropriately, but the test request form is not labeled.
5. Specimen is submitted from an unauthorized source. (Specimens are accepted only from physicians or other authorized persons recognized under Arkansas state law).
6. No source or test marked on the test request form.
7. Incorrect specimen submitted for test requested.

Submitted specimens not meeting the criteria listed below may be discarded after notifying the submitting physician. A supervising technologist or pathologist will be contacted to determine the disposition of all specimens in this category. The submitting physician/nursing station will be notified to recollect the specimen. In the event of a specimen that is difficult to recollect (i.e. specimen is impossible to recollect), the test will be run with approval of the cytopathologist and the submitting physician will be notified of the inadequacy of the specimen which will be documented in the final report.

1. Incorrectly labeled specimens, mismatched specimen/patient name, any specimens not properly labeled with patient’s name, specimen source and unique patient identifying number.
2. The specimen and/or slide(s) is (are) irreparably broken or damaged.
3. The specimen is submitted frozen.
4. Incorrect specimen submitted for test requested.

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