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 Cytogenetics by the American Board of Medical Genetics

Laboratory Director

Shivanand R. Patil, Ph.D., Director
E-mail: shivanand-patil@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 cytogenetics and experienced in laboratory methodology; technologists are certified as Clinical Laboratory Specialists in Cytogenetics (CLSpCG).
• Technologists receive continuing education from attending national and regional meetings, national teleconferences, university seminars, in-house conferences, and participating in monthly laboratory's 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.
• Lowest failure (no results) rates on specimens received for chromosome analysis.
• 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 IPR (Display Documents for a patient) 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 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 (319-356-2674 phone).

Requesting Cytogenetic Testing

• A C-12 Cytogenetics Request form (available from our laboratory) must accompany each specimen.
• 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.

Hours

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

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

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 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.

Supplies

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