Using our Services

Request Forms

Samples sent to the laboratory should be accompanied by an assay request form (obtainable from our Administration Department or from the web site (www.thehormonelab.com) alternatively, details may be written on headed paper. To ensure the integrity of patient identification in the report, we request that the sample tube(s) be labelled very clearly and that dynamic tests have details of sample order or times as appropriate.

Sample Collection Procedures

Special sample preparation is not required for most of the tests but please refer to the request form, information sheets or the table at the back of this booklet for specific details. An overnight courier service is available for special samples (ACTH/PTH/PTHrP/Renin/Gastrin/Glucagon) for a small additional charge.

Sample Dispatch

Samples must be packed according to the current UN3373/P650 regulations for shipment of Diagnostic Specimens (a copy is available if required). Pre-paid address labels are available free of charge on request.

Sample Results

All sample results are reported by fax and/or email and can be transferred direct to patient records. VetXML and FTP reporting options are also available. Urgent results can be obtained by telephoning the laboratory 8.00 am to 4.30 pm Monday to Friday. An answer machine operates out of hours for any messages.

Turnaround Time

Not all assays are run every day. Some are performed only twice weekly and certain low demand assays are run less often. The complexity of the high quality techniques we use can require long incubation times and numerous calibration and control samples necessitating the need to batch analyses to keep them affordable. An assay schedule is available on request but subject to change. Urgent requests can be analysed “off-schedule” but this will incur an additional charge (usually double list price).

SI units

It is the policy of the laboratory to report results in Systeme International (SI) units. A list of conversion factors for commonly measured analytes is provided as Appendix I.

Reference Ranges

A reference range list is available on request. Reference ranges are subject to revision if methods change; please refer to the sample test report for the current reference range(s).