Laboratory Services

Over 100 years of service to Montana's Public Health!

The Laboratory Services Bureau partners in the prevention and control of disease and the improvement of community health by providing quality testing in support of environmental and disease assessment and control to programs, health care providers, and the general public at the state and local level.

 

Important Information Regarding Transport Temperatures:

Spread the word!! Messaging will go out on OEL, and the Laboratory Services Guide will be updated soon.

Beginning on Monday August 5th, 2024, The Montana Public Health Lab is going to start rejecting samples that fall outside the acceptable temperature range. To ensure sample integrity, testing accuracy, and following CLIA regulations, samples must be received within the temperature range designated in our Laboratory Services Manual. Samples received outside of the designated temperature range are considered non-compliant and will be rejected. For more details, please contact MPTHL @ 1-800-821-7284. 

Room temperature/Ambient (15-25°C) 

Refrigerated (2-8°C)

Frozen (≤ -20°C)

Specimen Transportation Tips:

  1. Freeze ice packs for no less than 12 hours in a -20°C freezer
  2. Select an appropriately sized transport cooler (Styrofoam cooler, box/cooler combination, etc.)
  3. Put 3-4 fully frozen ice packs in each package
  4. Take time to ensure your specimens are being packaged and transported under appropriate conditions to avoid being rejected.
  5. Place a supply order online if you need extra transport supplies to help comply with this request. (coolers, cold packs, specimen transport bags)
  6. Acceptable transport temperatures for specimens can be found in the Public Health Laboratory Services manual. The manual can be found on the Lab Testing page.

Sickle Cell Trait for College Sports

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is requiring college athletes to be screened for sickle cell trait, an inherited condition that can cause complications such dehydration and heat stroke during intense exercise. This condition is part of the recommended universal screening panel for newborns, so it is likely college-bound athletes have had the screening, even if they are not aware of the results. If your child was born in Montana and you need sickle cell screening results, please reach out to the MT Laboratory Services Bureau Newborn Screening Program. You will need to complete and have notarized (for identity verification) a "Patient Request for Release of Laboratory Test Results", which can be faxed or emailed to our laboratory (subject line Sickle Cell Result Request). We will get the results to you as soon as possible. If you have a fax number, include it on the form for faster turn-around; otherwise results will typically be mailed to the address on the form.

For more information on sickle cell trait or the NCAA requirement, click on the links below:

What is Sickle Cell Trait? | CDC

Sickle Cell Trait - NCAA.org

Environmental Laboratory, including Water Laboratory Certification

Supervisor: Russell Leu, rleu@mt.gov, (406) 444-5259

The State Environmental Laboratory provides the following:

  • Environmental Laboratory Testing Fee Schedule
  • Testing to support the Safe Drinking Water Act
  • Consultation and certification services to laboratories who perform Drinking Water Analyses
  • Testing for possible human exposure to identified chemical threat agents
  • Technical assistance in the areas of analyses selection and results interpretation

Public Health Laboratory, including Newborn Screening

Microbiology and Molecular Diagnostics Section Supervisor: Michelle Mozer, mmozer@mt.gov, (406) 444-5526

Serology and Newborn Screening Section Supervisor: Jeanne Lee, jlee@mt.gov, (406)444-3040.

The Public Health Laboratory provides the following:

Biological Safety and Packaging and Shipping of Infectious Substances, Division 6.2

Biosafety Officer Crystal Fortune, cfortune@mt.gov, (406) 444-0930

Biosafety guidance includes

  • Guidance regarding exposure to biological agents
  • Guidance regarding packaging and shipping of infectious substances
  • Biosafety and risk assessment for clinical laboratories

Packaging and Shipping Guidance includes classifying, packaging, marking, and labeling laboratory samples according to mode of transport

Laboratory Emergency Preparedness

Laboratory Preparedness Coordinator Kim Newman, knewman@mt.gov, (406) 444-3068

Laboratory Emergency Preparedness provides the following:

  • Response to public health emergencies
  • Drinking Water Emergency Sampling (DWES) kits if water tampering is suspected
  • Collection (CBAT) kits for unknown substance sampling for suspicious substances
  • Guidance regarding toxic chemicals and biological agents