Laboratory

 

Many conditions and medications require lab testing and can be conveniently performed on campus at Olin Health Center. The Campus Health Services Laboratory is a full-service laboratory staffed with Registered Medical Technologists. Our phlebotomists are MSU students who have been trained and certified to perform the blood collection.

The laboratory will provide service to all individuals who present an order from their health care provider.  Registered students and their spouses regularly use the laboratory, along with University employees.

We take patients on a first-come, first-served, walk-in basis. If a patient’s lab work is ordered STAT, that patient may be taken in before you.  Please be patient with us, we will see you as quickly as possible. Plan on spending 10 to 15 minutes in the lab, longer if we are busy or you have specialty tests ordered.

Services and lab tests offered include:
Urinalysis, COVID antigen test, CBC, CMP, BMP, Electrolytes, Hepatic function test, Wet prep, Sedimentation Rate, pregnancy test, TSH, Free T4, strep screens, Influenza A and B, mono test, occult blood stool, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, lipid profiles, drug screen, ALT, AST, triglyceride, cholesterol and other basic chemistry tests.

Other laboratory tests can be processed and sent to Sparrow Regional Laboratory.

  • Collection and processing of blood/urine specimens from your health care provider.

  • Collection of pre-employment and court-ordered drug screens.

  • Collection of Blood/Urine specimens for the University Physician’s office for both students and employees. This includes Antibody/Immune Status, Rabies titers, urine drug screens and Quantiferon Gold (blood test for TB).

All test results are faxed or sent to the ordering provider for review.

For continuity of care, we can perform tests from any health provider. Orders can be faxed to us at 517-432-0457.

Laboratory orders must include the patient’s name and birth date, healthcare provider name, address, phone, and fax number, diagnosis code, and all tests to be performed must be clearly listed. Completed test reports will be faxed to the ordering provider’s office. If requests are made to release test reports to other health care providers a Patient Authorization for Disclosure of Health Information form needs to be submitted to the Medical Records Department.

Accessing Your Laboratory Test Results
Many tests will be done the same day they are ordered, and results are available through your provider within 24-48 hours. The results will be faxed or electronically sent to your provider.

Test results ordered by Campus Health Services providers are available through your MyMSUHealth 24/7 online patient portal.

Some tests that are sent out may take a week or more to come back. In-house results are not in the automated system 72 hours after testing, or if you have questions about your lab results, please call the Phone Information Nurse at 517-353-5557 Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 12:00 pm or 1:00 - 5:00 pm.

Every effort is made by the Campus Health Services provider/nurse to contact patients with abnormal or unexpected test results. At that time patients will receive follow up advice and instructions.

If you need a paper copy of your results, you will need to fill out a Medical Records Release form obtained from the Medical Records Department. If a non-Health Team provider ordered your tests, copies of your results can be obtained in the laboratory. To maintain confidentiality, a picture ID is required.

All laboratory results are strictly confidential.  We follow the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) that protects the confidentiality of communications between health professionals and their patients. Our Laboratory staff cannot interpret test results or give you medical advice. We strongly urge you to discuss your test results with your doctor, if you need assistance in understanding their meaning.

Insurance and Costs
Note that there will be charges for your laboratory tests. The price of the tests will vary, but many tests cost between $10 and $80 each. Some services are covered by student insurance or your personal medical insurance plan. If a test is not covered, you may be billed. If you have questions about whether or not a test will be covered, please contact your insurance company. 

Additionally, some laboratory tests can be prepaid and therefore not billed to your insurance. Ask your provider if the tests you need can be prepaid and make sure you indicate you would like to prepay to your provider. 

If you have a question about your bill for MSU laboratory services, you can speak with patient accounts toll-free at 800-964-3968.

Accreditation
Our laboratory functions in compliance with the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) and is accredited by The Joint Commission.

Accreditation means a laboratory has been assessed by a third-party auditor and has been determined to operate according to the standards for medical laboratories. It means that the quality and competence of the laboratory’s ability is monitored. This third-party assessment gives confidence that the laboratory is competent to produce reliable results.