October 2025 lab bulletins

Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL) has issued bulletins for the following:

• RPP tests: Effective Oct. 14, the only paper requisition accepted by APL for COVID-19, influenza and Respiratory Pathogen Panel (RPP) requests is the COVID-19 Influenza and Respiratory Pathogen Panel Requisition. Read the bulletin.
• Dermatophyte test change: Effective Tuesday, Oct. 21, APL in Calgary will begin testing for dermatophyte fungi from skin scrapings and nail samples using nucleic acid amplification testing. Please use the latest version of the requisition. Read the bulletin.
• Transfusion test menus: The Provincial Transfusion Medicine service has adopted a centralized support model linking immunohematology reference labs to all other Transfusion Medicine testing labs. Read the bulletin.
• Discontinuation of stool WBC testing: Effective immediately, microscopy of stool for white blood cells (stool WBC or fecal leukocytes) will be discontinued provincially due to the availability of improved diagnostic tests. Read the bulletin.
• Hemoglobin A1c testing: There is no change to ordering, sample collection or routing processes. Effective Tuesday, Oct. 21, all lab sites reporting Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in Alberta will transition from the third-generation Roch Diagnostics HbA1c assay to the fourth-generation Roche HbA1c assay. Read the bulletin.
• Restrictions on daily lab orders: Effective Tuesday, Oct. 21, Connect Care will implement restrictions on the use of daily lab orders for inpatients to reduce unnecessary testing and improve patient care. The default number of occurrences will be set to three days with a maximum of seven days. Read the bulletin.