Accreditation/Certification/Proficiency Testing

• Accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP)
• Certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments of 1988
• Participate in the CAP Cytogenetics Proficiency Testing (PT) Program
• Director of the laboratory is board certified in Clinical Pathology and Molecular Genetic Pathology by the American Board of Pathology

Laboratory Director

Benjamin Darbro, MD, PhD, Director
E-mail: benjamin-darbro@uiowa.edu

Laboratory Supervisor/Contact Person

Richard Van Rheeden, BS, MS
Phone: 319-356-3877
richard-vanrheeden@uiowa.edu

Technical Staff Members

• Technologists are well versed in the field of molecular cytogenetics and experienced in laboratory methodology; technologists are certified as Clinical Laboratory Specialists in Cytogenetics, CG (ASCP).
• Technologists receive continuing education from attending national and regional meetings, national teleconferences, university seminars, in-house conferences, and participating in laboratory's monthly journal club.

Commitment to providing high quality cytogenetic services at competitive costs

• Outstanding relationships and interaction with referring clinicians (obstetricians, neonatologists, oncologists, pathologists, etc., as well as with other health care professionals).
• Provides educational and scientific materials to referring clinicians as needed on unusual cases for the purpose of aiding counseling and education.
• Participate in Children's Oncology Group (COG) and Cancer of Leukemia Group B (CALGB).
• Certified as reference laboratory by COG and CALGB.

Reporting of Results

• Verbal preliminary results are given in 24-48 hours based on 10 cells for specimens with hematological malignancies and newborns suspected of trisomies.
• A written interpretive report of the lab results is available in EPIC for UIHC patients.
• A written report is mailed or faxed to the referring physician at outside hospitals.
• The turnaround times for the final report by specimen type are shown in the accompanying table.

Confidentiality

• The Cytogenetics and Molecular laboratory is fully committed to maintaining patient confidentiality.

Consultation

• Consultation is available through our laboratory from our board certified clinical/molecular/biochemical geneticists and genetic counselors in the Division of Medical Genetics (phone 319-356-2674).

Requesting Cytogenetic Testing

• A C-12 Cytogenetics Request form (available from our laboratory) must accompany each specimen sent from outside UIHC.
• All specimens should be sent at room temperature.Do not freeze or centrifuge.

Billing

• Laboratory fees are submitted to the UIHC Joint Office of Patient Financial Services for processing.
• Complete patient insurance information must accompany all outside specimens (insurance and authorization forms are attached to the C12 request form).
• If preferred, arrangements can be made to bill directly to the referring lab or institution.

Research

• Research Fee Schedule

Hours

• Weekdays:
  Monday-Friday
  8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
  
  
• Weekends/Holidays:
  technologists are on week-end call and holiday

Phone and Fax

• (319) 356-3877
• (319) 353-6704 (Fax)
• 1-888-533-0186 (Pager--weekends and holidays only); press the # sign after you enter your phone number, hang up after the beep
• Weeday after hours in UIHC, page 4291. Outside UIHC, call 319-356-1616 and as the hospital operator to page 4291.

Shipping

• Specimens should be sent by overnight courier. If arrival will occur on the weekend, specimens should be delivered to Specimen Control, UIHC, 6240 RCP, ATTN: Cytogenetics and Molecular Lab. Please call the Cytogenetics Laboratory and leave patient name, specimen type, referring physician's name and phone number, and tracking number of courier recorded on our voice mail.
• We can provide a Fed Ex account number for shipping charges on a case by case basis.

Supplies

• Styrofoam mailers are available from our laboratory for out-of-hospital clients (contact the laboratory for specific details).