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Provider frequently asked questions
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Clinical Pharmacists
- Phone: 800.511.8492
- Fax: 401.667.0812
- Monday - Thursday: 8:00am - 8:00pm ET
- Friday: 8:00am - 6:00pm ET
Client Services
- Phone: 800.511.8427
- Fax: 401.667.5781
- Monday - Thursday: 9:00am - 7:00pm ET
- Friday: 9:00am - 5:00pm ET
Specimen Collection
Yes. Training materials and Collection Guides are available in our online portal, Dominion Connect™. We are also happy to provide them or assist you in training your staff. Please call the Client Services Supply Center at 800.511.8427, Option 2, and we will ship these guides directly to you.
Specimens with a temperature out of range may indicate a substituted or adulterated sample. Under normal situations fresh urine would display a temperature between 90 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit on the temperature strip, if read within 4 minutes of the collection. Should the temperature strip not register, the specimen should be immediately re-checked using a new cup and the results recorded on the requisition.
Within seven (7) days of collection. It is recommended that the specimen be sent to the laboratory as soon as possible. If not sent immediately the specimen should be refrigerated until shipped. Specimens should be received in the laboratory within seven days of collection.
Dilute specimen may indicate a substituted or adulterated sample. If the specific gravity is below 1.003 and the creatinine is below 20 mg/dL the specimen is considered to be dilute. Creatinine is a product of muscle contraction and is excreted at a relatively constant rate in urine. Because creatinine is produced from within and released into body fluids at a constant rate, its level in urine may be used as an indication of body hydration. The normal range for creatinine in urine is 20 to 400 mg/dL. A creatinine level of less than 20 mg/dL suggests over-hydration of urine by excessive drinking or intentionally diluting the specimen with an adulterant such as water. Specific Gravity assesses the amount of substances dissolved into in the urine. As increasing amounts of substances are added to urine, the specific gravity increases. Specific gravity measures the density of urine relative to the density of water. Normal range is from 1.003-1.030. The greater the specific gravity is, the more concentrated the urine. A urine specific gravity of 1.000 is essentially water.