STL Correspondence & Bulletins

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DSHS-South Texas Laboratory 
Inclement Weather Notice
 

TB Elimination specimen shipments are processed in the Fed-Ex hub located in Memphis, Tennessee before delivery to Harlingen.  Inclement weather will affect Memphis on Thursday evening, December 22, with an expected low of 4°F with snow showers.

This may affect Fed-Ex operations and could potentially cause a delay in shipping and delivery on Friday, as Harlingen will also be affected by the weather. Please take these potential shipping delays into consideration, as clinical specimens drawn and shipped to STL on Thursday, December 22 may result in specimen rejections.

Please call the appropriate department with any questions:

• 956-364-8751 or 956-364-8752 (Clinical)
• 956-364-8750 (Serology)
• 956-364-8753 (TB Mycobacteriology)
• 956-364-8369 (Emergency Preparedness)

To sign up to receive e-mail updates for correspondence and bulletins, please go to:

http://www.dshs.texas.gov/lab/STL/STLCorrespondenceBulletins.shtm

Posted: December 20, 2022

DSHS-SOUTH TEXAS LABORATORY
Thanksgiving Holiday Closure:
 

South Texas Laboratory in Harlingen will be closed on Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25, 2022.

Specimens received on Wednesday, November 23 via Fed-Ex will be tested, and results reported the same day. Do not collect and ship specimens on Wednesday, November 23.

CAMERON AND HIDALGO COUNTY SUBMITTERS:
PLEASE DELIVER SPECIMENS BY 11:00 AM on Wednesday, November 23 to ensure testing is completed before the holiday closure. 

THE LABORATORY WILL RESUME NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS ON 
Monday, November 28, 2022

PLEASE CALL THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT WITH ANY QUESTIONS:

• 956-364-8751 or 956-364-8752 (Clinical)
• 956-364-8750 (Serology)
• 956-364-8753 (TB Mycobacteriology)
• 956-364-8369 (Emergency Preparedness)

To sign up to receive e-mail updates for correspondence and bulletins, please go to:
https://www.dshs.texas.gov/laboratory-services/south-texas-laboratory/stl-correspondence-bulletins

Posted: November 17, 2022

DSHS-South Texas Laboratory Veterans’ Day Holiday Closure:

South Texas Laboratory in Harlingen will be closed Friday, November 11, 2022.

TB Elimination submitters, please do not ship specimens on Thursday, November 10, 2022.

Cameron and Hidalgo County submitters, please deliver specimens by 3:00 pm on Thursday, November 10 to ensure testing is completed.

The Laboratory Will Resume Normal Business Hours On Monday, November 14, 2022. 

To sign up to receive e-mail updates for correspondence and bulletins, please go to:
https://www.dshs.texas.gov/laboratory-services/south-texas-laboratory/stl-correspondence-bulletins
 

Posted: Oct 31, 2022

DSHS-SOUTH TEXAS LABORATORY
SHORTAGE OF EDTA TUBES FOR CBC/HEMOGLOBIN A1C

There is an unavailability of EDTA (purple top) tubes amongst our various vendors and we do not have a confirmed date of when we will receive our order of tubes. We are limited to the low inventory in stock, and we will be stringent on supplying tubes to our submitters.

If you have an avenue to order tubes, please do so. If we run out of tubes, we will send out another notification.

Posted: June 27, 2022

DSHS South Texas Laboratory – Correspondence & Bulletins Update

To better serve our submitters, the DSHS will be renovating the South Texas Laboratory (STL). As a result, the STL will not be accepting specimens for TB testing from April 15, 2022 through Spring of 2023; the anticipated completion date of the renovations. In preparation for the laboratory closure, specimens for Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) smear and culture testing should be submitted directly to the Austin Laboratory.

Please Note:

• The STL will not forward TB specimens to the Austin Laboratory during the period of renovation.
• The Austin Laboratory will not accept urine specimens for TB testing.

The following steps are needed to submit specimens to Austin. 

Have a DSHS Submitter ID Number If you already have a submitter ID number with the STL, you do not need to get another for the Austin Laboratory.
If you do not already have an account or submitter number, or you need to update information already on file, please download a Submitter ID Number Request Form by copying and pasting the following link into a browser: /sites/default/files/lab/forms/Submitter-ID-Request-Form-Sept--2017.pdf. Complete all applicable fields and email the completed form to labinfo@dshs.texas.gov, or fax it to (512) 776-7533.

Request Austin Laboratory Specimen Submission Forms South Texas Laboratory F40 Specimen Submission Forms are not acceptable at the Austin Laboratory. Please contact Austin Laboratory Reporting to obtain master copies of the G-MYCO submission forms. Examples of current submission forms and instructions for the Laboratory are available at /lab/mrs_forms.shtm.

Order Shipping Supplies from the Austin Laboratory Request shipping containers from the Austin laboratory by completing the Austin Laboratory’s G6F Order Form for TB Supplies, which is available at /lab/MRS_forms.shtm.

• Please Note: South Texas Laboratory supply order forms are not acceptable at the Austin Laboratory due to differences in the shipping products provided by each location. 

 Shipping Addresses:

For Regular Mail Services
Specimen Receiving: Walter Douglass
Laboratory Services Section, MC 1947
Department of State Health Services
PO Box 149347
1100 W. 49th Street
Austin, TX 78714-9347
 

For Overnight/Priority Courier Service
Specimen Receiving: Walter Douglass
Laboratory Services Section,
Department of State Health Services
1100 W. 49th Street
Austin, TX 78756-3199
 

• For questions about Submitter ID Numbers and Specimen Submission Forms, please contact
  Tiffunee Odoms, Laboratory Reporting Branch Manager
  email:LabInfo@dshs.texas.gov
  phone: (512)776-7578 or 1-888-963-7111, Ext. 7578,
  fax: (512)776-7533
   
• For questions about Supply Order Forms and TB Mailers, please contact
  John Holcomb, Laboratory Supply Team Lead
  email:John.Holcomb@dshs.texas.gov
  phone: (512)776-2475
  fax:(512) 776-7480
   
• For general questions about Shipping and Logistics, please contact
  Walter Douglass, Specimen Acquisition
  email:Walter.Douglass@dshs.texas.gov
  phone: 512-776-7569
   
  • Please Note: If your local health department’s TB program has a contract with DSHS’ TB and Hansen’s Disease Unit, please contact tbprogram@dshs.texas.gov for information about the courier service offered through FedEx. A FedEx courier account is required to avail of this service.

Posted: April 11, 2022

In order to better serve our submitters, we will be conducting renovations of the South Texas Laboratory (STL).  In preparation for these renovations, we are asking submitters that submit specimens for tuberculosis testing perform a few tasks so that they can receive TB testing at the Austin laboratory.  STL will no longer be able to accept your specimen for TB testing as of April 15, 2022. We do not know when the renovations will be finished but they are scheduled to be completed by the beginning of 2023.

During this time, we are asking our submitters to send TB samples for AFB and culture to Austin laboratory directly.  In order to submit specimens to the Austin laboratory for TB testing you will need to request to become a submitter to the Austin laboratory (if you do not already have an Austin submitter number), request shipping containers from the Austin laboratory with the proper label and obtain the Austin laboratory submission form (will be provided once you sign up to become an Austin laboratory submitter).

STL will not be able to forward your specimens to the Austin laboratory during this period and so you will need to request to become an Austin laboratory submitter.

This only applies to TB Samples submitted for AFB smear and culture.

NOTE: DSHS Austin Lab will not accept urine specimens for TB testing.

Contact Person to become a submitter and obtain TB submission form

Tiffunee Odoms

Laboratory Reporting Branch Manager

Laboratory Services Section MC 1947

Texas Department of State Health Services

PO Box 149347

Austin, Texas 78714-9347

Phone: 512-776-6275

Fax: 512-776-7533

tiffunee.odoms@dshs.texas.gov 

Contact information to request TB mailing containers