Test Results

Test results will be available based on order priority (STAT, urgent or routine). Select the appropriate test priority based on the patient's clinical need.

Turn around time by department:

Chemistry and Hematology STAT/Urgent TAT availability

Anatomic pathology Turn Around Time Information

• Results will only be faxed to secure fax machines that are separate from public access
• Ensure that your fax number is listed correctly on the requisition. To make a change please call the Service Desk at 1-855-242-1300.
• Fax numbers are validated for accuracy prior to use

• IH Laboratory Service will issue verbal laboratory results to the health care practitioner when indicated or requested on the requisition. The identity of the person receiving the result must be verified at the time of the call for authenticity in order to maintain patient confidentiality.
• Requisition must have the phone number and the name of the specific person or site to which the call is to be made.

All critical test results are immediately communicated to the attending physician or appropriate clinical personnel responsible for that patient’s care.

In the event that the physician is unavailable to receive the result, the Laboratory Medical Director will be notified in order to take the next steps to ensure that the patient receives the proper care in a timely manner.

• Chemistry critical result list
• Hematology critical result list
• Microbiology critical notification list
• Transfusion Medicine critical notification list

Inpatient critical results will be phoned to nursing staff on the patient’s unit to relay the result to the ordering physician immediately

Outpatient critical results will be called to the physician’s office during their regular working hours.

• If the physician is not available, the result will be given to the office RN and that the physician must be notified immediately
• After hours, if the patient has been discharged or is an outpatient, the lab staff will call the ordering physician’s on-call number

An IH Pathologist is always available for consultation. 

Monday to Friday 8am-4pm contact your local Anatomic Pathology department:

• East Kootenay Regional Hospital 250-489-6441
• Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital 250-364-5189
• Kelowna General Hospital 250-862-4407
• Penticton Regional Hospital 250-492-9014
• Royal Inland Hospital 250-314-2669
• Vernon Jubilee Hospital 250-558-1342

After hours, contact the switchboard operator at the desired facility to page the Pathologist on-call or consult the Oncall Scheduling system.

All laboratory tests requested by an authorized health care provider are tested and reported. If a test is not performed for any reason, the reason is documented and the physician is notified.
Missing laboratory reports could be due to a variety of reasons. If no results are available after the expected time, please contact the lab by email or by phone for further investigation.

Reference ranges for individual tests are stated on the patient report, specific for the age and birth sex of the patient, taking into account biological variation. As test methodologies vary, the reference range will reflect the current appropriate range for that test. All results must be interpreted in conjunction with the patient’s individual presentation.

Hematology and Coagulation Reference Range

This Measurement Uncertainty (MU) Table provides estimates of MU for all quantitative methods. The MU estimate provides a range of values within which the true value is believed to lie with an approximate confidence level of 95%. MU is estimated for each analyte using precision data obtained from observed quality control results prior to the implementation of a new method and 6 months after any method change. 

Contact ihlabquality@interiorhealth.ca to request site specific and/or date range specific values if needed.