All specimens should be labeled at the time of collection with at least two patient identifiers.
- The patient’s name (full last name, then full first name or initial) or a unique ID code is always required.
- The second patient identifier may be one of the following:
- Date of birth (month/date/year)
- Other unique patient identifier that is also on the test requisition, e.g. hospital or office ID code or file number
- Quest Diagnostic’s requisition number or specimen barcode label
- Other barcode labels can be used if barcode matches the unique identifiers on the printed requisition (the barcode does not need to be human readable)
NOTE: Location-based identifiers are NOT acceptable, e.g. hospital room number or street address
Each specimen must have a securely affixed label with the following information:
- the patient’s name written exactly as it appears on the test requisition (e.g., Doe, Jane)
- a second patient identifier as noted above
- your account number
- date of collection
If the label is hand-written, use a ballpoint pen–do not use a felt tip pen. If glass slides are submitted, use a pencil for labeling the frosted end–two identifiers are preferred although patient’s name alone is acceptable.
When using an electronically generated Quest Diagnostics test requisition, place the label lengthwise on the tube. When submitting a specimen in a container other than the tube used to draw the sample (e.g., transfer vials), also indicate specimen type on the label (e.g., serum, plasma, urine, etc.). When submitting specimens for microbiological testing (e.g., cultures, bacterial antigen, microscopic examination), the nature and anatomic source of the sample and the specific organism(s) to be detected, if any, should be specified.