UCLA Health Laboratory Services: A Comprehensive Overview

UCLA Health Laboratory Services play a vital role in patient care, providing a wide array of diagnostic testing services. From routine blood draws to specialized analyses, these laboratories support clinicians in making informed decisions, ensuring accurate diagnoses and effective treatment plans. This article delves into the various aspects of UCLA Health Laboratory Services, including their operations, technological advancements, patient impact, and accessibility.

Comprehensive Diagnostic Testing

The UCLA Clinical Laboratory offers diagnostic testing services for the Westwood and Santa Monica locations, affiliated outpatient clinics, and physician offices. Inpatient phlebotomy services are available at both locations, with outpatient phlebotomy sites situated in the Westwood 100 and 200 Medical Plaza Buildings and at 1245 16th St., Suite 220, Santa Monica, CA 90404. The laboratory also oversees point-of-care testing services in inpatient and hospital-based outpatient settings. For tests not performed in-house, selected referral laboratories are utilized. Furthermore, the division actively supports clinical research activities.

Accreditation and Licensing

UCLA Health Laboratory Services are licensed by the State of California, accredited by the College of American Pathologists, and hold CLIA certification for all testing locations, ensuring adherence to the highest standards of quality and accuracy.

The Crucial Role of Laboratory Testing in Diagnosis

In emergency situations, such as a patient arriving with chest pain, labored breathing, and nausea, laboratory tests are essential for determining the underlying cause. Measuring troponin levels, a heart muscle protein, can indicate cardiac damage and help narrow down the diagnosis. The rapid turnaround time of these tests, typically within 20-45 minutes, allows doctors to make critical decisions quickly.

Dr. Omai Garner, PhD, vice chair of clinical laboratory affairs and professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, emphasizes the importance of laboratory tests in medicine, stating that they provide "the critical pieces of data that allow a clinician to treat our patients as fast as possible."

Automation and Efficiency

The UCLA Clinical Laboratory utilizes fully automated technology to perform approximately 20 million blood tests annually. A recent major upgrade expanded test volume by 10% and broadened the types of testing possible. This state-of-the-art automation frees up clinical laboratory scientists (CLS), also known as medical laboratory scientists, to focus on quality control and specialized testing. Automation is particularly crucial given the nationwide shortage of CLS.

The Journey of a Sample

The laboratory operates at a continuous, rapid pace, starting with the arrival of blood vials via a 1.7-mile pneumatic tube system. This system connects every corridor and floor of the hospital, ensuring efficient delivery of samples. Once the blood arrives in the lab, a technician removes the packaging and delivers it to the automated system. The tube's barcode provides instructions on the necessary tests. Some tests require separating blood into its components using a centrifuge. If multiple tests are needed, the blood is divided into separate tubes.

Routine and Specialized Testing

Routine tests include comprehensive metabolic panels (CMP), which measure 14 substances such as glucose, calcium, and total protein, and complete blood counts (CBC), which measure the number and size of different blood cells. As a quaternary care center for complex and rare conditions, the clinical laboratory also performs specialized testing, including coagulation testing to assess bleeding or clotting risks and a suite of tests for hepatitis to determine the cause of liver failure.

Maintaining Accuracy and Speed

According to Dr. Garner, errors are extremely rare due to automation and quality control measures implemented by the CLS. Automation is also essential for maintaining a rapid pace, enabling the laboratory to perform significantly more tests compared to manual methods.

The Line: A Key to Efficiency

Central to the laboratory's efficiency is "The Line," a 78-foot conveyor belt that transports labeled and processed tubes. This system minimizes the need for CLS to walk long distances, allowing them to focus on specialized testing.

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Once testing is complete, results are available to clinicians in the hospital's electronic records system. The Line sends the blood to refrigerated storage for potential retesting.

Patient Impact and Clinical Stories

The UCLA Health Laboratory Services handle millions of tests, and clinical stories serve to remind staff of the direct impact their work has on patients. Dr. Lu Song, PhD, the lab's chief of clinical chemistry, shared the case of a 74-year-old woman whose blood test revealed a creatinine level nearly 27 times the normal range. This led to a diagnosis of acute renal failure and subsequent dialysis treatment. Further testing helped physicians diagnose light chain myeloma, a type of blood cancer. CLS oversaw her testing to deliver results quickly to her physicians.

Future Upgrades and Technological Advancements

The lab was recently upgraded, a year-long project that involved custom-fitting equipment to ensure smooth continuity between machines. Future upgrades are planned to incorporate faster equipment, new testing methods, and better chemistry analyzers. The goal is to stay at the forefront of technology to provide rapid and accurate testing services.

Accessibility and Outpatient Services

UCLA Health Laboratory Services offers convenient outpatient services for specimen collection, blood draws (phlebotomy), urine samples, and other laboratory needs. Most lab tests require an order from a healthcare provider.

Outpatient Lab Locations and Hours

Westwood 200 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 145 Laboratory:
- Open Monday to Friday, 6:00 am to 7:00 pm
- Open weekends (Sat/Sun) and holidays, 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

Virtual Check-In System

To streamline the patient experience, UCLA offers a virtual check-in system for outpatient labs:

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Text: Text the lab location to 818-405-9813 (e.g., burlwoodlandhills).
Kiosk: Join the line in person at the lab sites or virtually using a smart device.
Qless App: Download the Qless app and search for the lab location.

Ashe Center Laboratory Services

The Ashe Center provides laboratory services to students. Key information includes:

Lab Instructions: Bring your BruinCard to your appointment. A valid order from an Ashe Center provider is required. Check in at the Lab/Radiology reception window.
Result Availability: Most blood and urine test results are available on MyStudentChart within three business days.
Fasting Labs: Avoid food and drinks (except water) for nine hours before the blood test.
Sharps Disposal: Disposable sharps should be disposed of at the UCLA SAFE Center at 550 Charles E. Young Dr., LA. Operating hours are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 8 AM to 2 PM.
Lab Hours:
- Monday: 8am-4:30pm
- Tuesday: 8am-4:30pm
- Wednesday: 8am-12pm, 2pm-4:30pm (Closed 12-2pm)
- Thursday: 8am-4:30pm
- Friday: 9am-4:30pm

It is advisable to call (310) 825-4981 to confirm current operating hours.

Addressing Common Questions

Lab Orders: Lab orders are generally placed and released by your ordering provider. Contact your doctor or treatment team for confirmation.
Test Results: Results are released to CareConnect as soon as they are available. Contact the ordering physician for questions about specific results.
Specimen Drop-Off: With the exception of 100 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 245, all other draw stations will accept specimens that are being dropped off for processing and testing.

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