General Inquiries
We offer 48-hour business day turnaround time. With the large majority of our confirmation tests being resulted within 24 hours of receiving the patient specimen, we take the pain of having to wait endlessly for results to trickle in. Rest assured, our timeliness means you are always a priority.
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To learn more about our online ordering and patient result portal, please call the lab to discuss training options.
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Supply orders and UPS pickups must be placed with your sales representative.
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If there is a need for a rush order or pickup, please call the lab at 813-886-2364. Our normal business hours are Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm EST.
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Submit a Report Correction Form indicating desired changes. This form can also be found in the “Information Forms” under the “Resources” tab.
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Testing Information
If you placed the test orders via a paper requisition, your patient results are returned in the manner specified during your onboarding process.
If you placed the test orders via Copia, the lab’s online portal, your patient results are available electronically through the portal.
If you would like to discuss alternate options of receiving patient reports, or are having issues retrieving results with your current method, please call the lab with your inquiry and/or questions.
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Urine temperature is reflective of body temperature. The normal range for human urine is 90.5-100°F. If a urine sample is out of range following an unobserved collection, it is recommended a new sample be collected while the patient is observed while voiding.
If the sample collected while observed is out of range, the temperature strip on the collection device could be faulty. Troubleshoot the cup by obtaining a new cup and pour the fresh sample in the new cup. If the temperature is still out of range, it is recommended a fresh sample be collected.
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QNS means Quantity Not Sufficient. The lab requires a minimum volume of each sample in order to run all tests ordered. If the sample leaks in transit, i.e. the lid was not placed properly or the patient does not provide enough specimen, the sample is rejected as Quantity Not Sufficient (QNS) for testing.
The minimum required volume for urine is 30mL.
For more questions related to sample collection, please visit:
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If a sample is on hold, the lab received the sample with incomplete order information. Examples of incomplete order information could be no order received, missing patient information or no medical necessity provided.
Please call the lab for further information if you have a sample in Hold status.
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Medical Necessity means health care services a physician provides to a patient for the purpose of evaluating, diagnosing or treating an illness, injury, disease, or its symptoms.
All laboratory tests require an applicable Medical Necessity. This can be marked on paper requisitions, at the bottom, under “Physician Authorization and Medical Necessity Statement”.
For online orders, after selecting the patient’s order choice, check the Medical Necessity in the Clinical Info box.
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Understanding Results
Urine samples sent to Apex Labs for toxicology testing may be tested for signs of adulteration. Adulteration is the action of making something poor in quality by the addition of another substance. In toxicology testing, adulteration attempts can include dilution by water, addition of substances such as bleach or providing fake urine to alter results.
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Creatinine, pH and Specific Gravity
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Creatinine Urine
Creatinine is a waste product that the body produces. The kidneys remove creatinine from the blood and leave it in urine. Creatinine in normal urine is found in amounts ranging from 20.0-400.0 mg/dL.
Specimens with urine creatinine values less than 20 mg/dL could be considered adulterated or diluted. Low creatinine values can also be a result of kidney insufficiencies. High levels of creatinine in urine could indicate kidney insufficiencies as well as high muscle tone or diabetes. The patient’s full clinical history should be reviewed when determining the cause of a low urine creatinine value.
pH
Normal urine has a pH value between 4.5 and 9.0; Urine with pH values out of this range could be considered adulterated.
Specific Gravity
Specific gravity measures the density of urine to the density of water. It is used to determine if a urine sample has been diluted. Normal values for specific gravity in human urine range from 1.003-1.025.
Values below 1.003 could be considered adulterated or diluted. Diluted urine samples could be the result of physically adding water to a urine sample or due to “fluid hydration”. Fluid hydration is the rapid intake of water or other liquid beverages to provide a watered down sample in which the testing is no longer reliable or reflective of recent drug use.
Values above 1.025 could indicate the urine is too concentrated as a result of dehydration, diarrhea or excessive vomiting.
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General Information
We offer toxicology testing to detect both drugs of abuse and medical monitoring adherence. We offer test menus in both urine and oral fluids utilizing state-of-the-art-technology to identify, and quantify, a wide array of pharmaceutical and illicit agents.
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For your convenience, we provide a Test Directory on our website. It can also be found under the “Resources” tab.
If further information is needed regarding any test offered, please call the lab during business hours and a member of our team will answer your questions.
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Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm EST. The lab is closed on all federal holidays. If you would like to leave a message after hours, click here.
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Phone: 813-886-2364
Fax: 813-886-2106
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We are always seeking experienced and driven professionals to become part of our team. Available laboratory and sales positions can be found at:
Laboratory Positions Application
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