Ballad Health’s Synergy Laboratories play a key role in promoting the continuum of care by being the preferred laboratory service supporting many of the hospitals, clinics and nursing homes throughout the region. Our primary focus is to provide accurate and diagnostically meaningful test information for better patient management.

Ballad Health’s Synergy Laboratories medical directors and laboratory technical leaders consider it part of their jobs to engage with patient care providers. They can be contacted at any time to respond to inquiries for technical or medical interpretive information.

Services

Our client services team members will provide you with general assistance regarding test information, results, specimen collection and shipping.

Requisition forms and other laboratory supplies are available from Ballad Health’s Synergy Laboratories by contacting client services.

Client Services

Synergy Specimen Preparation for Courier Pickup
Complete a separate Requisition Form for each patient and include the form in the specimen package. Test results can be provided by secured Internet access, courier, printer, fax or first class mail. Sensitive test results such as those associated with infectious disease are not provided by telephone or fax. We provide accurate and immediate test results for your convenience.

Dedicated Synergy Labs Client Services Line
Phone: (423) 302-3707

Dedicated Synergy Labs Courier Line
Phone: (423) 302-3706
(After hours and weekend couriers are available on an on-call basis.)

Specimen Transportation
On-demand and scheduled courier pick-ups are available to Synergy Laboratories outreach clients depending upon location and test volume. Contact Laboratory Support Services at (423) 302-3706 to request courier information.

Supplies
Synergy Laboratories provides clients with appropriate quantities and types of specimen collection supplies and test requisitions. Materials can be obtained by contacting Support Services at (423) 302-3707.

Billing
Information can be obtained by contacting (423) 302-3702

Phlebotomy
Information can be obtained by contacting the Laboratory Business Manager (423) 302-3701

Consultative Services
Information can be obtained by contacting the Laboratory Business Manager at (423) 302-3701

Reports
Patient test reports are available via the Internet through a secured pathway, delivered by courier, fax or mail depending upon client preference and test volume.

Results
Healthcare providers can obtain verbal results by contacting Synergy Lab at (423) 302-3707. Patients may obtain their test results from their ordering physician. The laboratory does not release verbal or copies of printed results to patients.

Expected Turn Around Time

Anatomic pathology and clinical laboratory services are geared to provide timely and accurate test results which are in the best interests of contributing to high quality patient care. Our goal is to provide services in a consistent manner throughout all areas of departmental services to allow physician caregivers to make effective patient care decisions.

We monitor both routine and stat turnaround times to ensure test results are available in a timely manner and to identify opportunities for quality improvement. The turnaround time for a laboratory test is that interval between receipt of a specimen in the lab to verification and acceptance of the result in the laboratory information system after test completion. This operational definition is referred to as the "in-lab" turnaround time.

For specific quality assurance purposes, laboratory directors and managers may decide to also focus on assessing additional components of the total testing process if these times can be accurately monitored and documented. This may then result in assessment of pre-analytical and/or post-analytical components as well as the analytical component of test turnaround time.

1. STAT Specimens are tested one hour or less upon receipt into the lab

Note: Test results for STAT outreach specimens will be called (e.g., to primary care or outreach sites) only if requested in writing with contact information provided with the specimen and order.

2. ROUTINE Specimens are tested as they are received with results reported no later than within the eight hour shift

Note: Selected tests on routine specimens may not be performed every shift and/or every day. Please refer to the alphabetical test listing in this manual to identify which tests this criteria applies to. This listing describes when each test is performed and reported.

Unless otherwise noted in specific test procedures or in the alphabetical test listing in this Laboratory Services Manual, all specimen turnaround times follow the above guidelines.

Stat Test List - PDF

Specimen Transport

Specimen handling requirements can be found under guidlines on the resource page. If unable to find the necessary test information please call Synergy Laboratories at (423) 302-3707. Specimen type, minimum volume, storage temperature, and any special handling notes will be addressed. Storage temperature is specified as ambient (18° to 22°C), refrigerated (4° to 7°C), or frozen (-2 to -6°C or colder). Acute and convalescent samples should be submitted with collection dates at least two weeks apart.

Courier Service

Courier service is available for transporting outreach specimens from many locations throughout the service area of Synergy Laboratories. This includes same day delivery in certain geographic areas or overnight delivery under controlled conditions. Special courier services can be established if appropriate arrangements are made. Please contact Synergy Laboratories at (423)302-3706 to request courier arrangements.

Mailing Specimens (refer to federal requirements)

Synergy Laboratories can provide standard mailing containers to transport biologic specimens from locations that do not have courier service. For specimens that do not have specific temperature requirements, place the specimen and test requisition in the mailer provided. Please label Ambient Specimen - Do Not Refrigerate on the outside of the package. Refrigerated specimens can be transported using coolant packages. Place the specimen, test requisition, and coolant pack in the mailer provided. Please label Refrigerated Specimen - Do Not Freeze on the outside of the package. Frozen specimens must be transported in shipping containers packed with five pounds of dry ice (maximum). Use only plastic vials or containers for sample aliquots. Frozen specimens transported in glass will be rejected upon receipt. This is due to the high risk of exposure and injury. The vial or container for each specimen shipped should not be more than three-fourths full. Samples that must remain frozen should not be shipped using standard coolants. Place the specimen and test requisition in a plastic bag before packing with dry ice. Please label Frozen Specimen on the outside of the package.