Specimen Collection

Can I get training materials for specimen collection?

Yes. We are happy to provide Training Manuals and Collection Guides to assist you in training your staff. Please call the Client Services Supply Center toll free at 1-800-511-8427, Prompt 2, and we will ship these guides directly to you.

How many days after the specimen has been collected will the laboratory accept the sample for testing?

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.

If the report has the phrase “Dilute specimen, Suggest recollection.” what does that mean?

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.

What is the importance of checking the urine temperature strip on the collection cup?

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.

Shipping & Supplies

Can I set up regular shipments of supplies?

Yes. Clients are able to be set up with routine shipments of supplies when necessary. At the client’s request, these shipments can be adjusted or stopped at any time.

How can I order supplies?

Submit a Supply Order to our Client Services Supply Center. You can contact the Supply Center regarding supply needs via phone at 1-800-511-8427, Prompt 1, via Dominion Connect/Select Online Services, or by fax using the Supply Order Form.

How do I get regular onsite specimen pickups?

Contact a Client Services representative at 1-800-511-8427. Based on your testing needs, the Supply Center will coordinate regular pickups with a preferred carrier or local courier. This can be requested at time of Account Startup or later.

Test Results/Interpretation

Can poppy seed bagels or muffins produce a positive screen for opiates?

Yes. Consuming poppy seed products can result in a positive opiate screen. Commercially available poppy seeds have been shown to contain 2 to 294 micrograms of morphine and 0.4 to 57 micrograms of codeine per gram of seed. Following poppy seed ingestion, morphine concentrations in the urine generally peak within 3 to 8 hours, and may be positive for as long as 48 to 60 hours post-ingestion. These results are true positives, though not indicative of opiate abuse.

Can topical anesthetics (e.g. benzocaine or lidocaine) cause a positive result for cocaine?

No. Although these anesthetics end in “caine”, their chemical structures are different from cocaine and DO NOT produce a positive result for cocaine.

How can clinicians obtain a copy of a laboratory result report?

Contact Dominion Diagnostics Client Services at 1-800-511-8427.  Additional copies of laboratory results are available by secure fax or secure e-mail. If you require interpretation assistance with those results, a representative can quickly connect you with a clinical pharmacist from our Clinical Services department.

If someone is taking Methylphenidate (Ritalin®) will the amphetamine screen detect the drug presence?

No. Although methylphenidate has amphetamine-like properties, its chemical structure is not similar enough to amphetamine and is not detected with the Amphetamines Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) methodology.  Methylphenidate testing is available and may be ordered separately.

Will Oxycodone (OxyContin®, Percocet®) be detected on an EIA Opiate screen?

It is possible. If the oxycodone concentration in the urine is high, there may be sufficient molecules present for detection of the drug with the Opiates Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) methodology; otherwise, the Opiates EIA screen may fail to detect oxycodone reliably in the specimen. Alternative methods for testing oxycodone are Oxycodone/Oxycodone metabolite by EIA or LC/MS/MS which are more sensitive and specific tests for the detection of these analytes in urine.

Will the results of a urine drug test tell me how much of the drug was taken and when it was taken?

No. Factors that must be considered in the interpretation of drug concentration in urine include individual differences in the rates of metabolism, absorption, distribution, urine pH, dosage intervals, dosage strength and chronic use versus a single dose. Because these factors complicate interpretation, no conclusions can be drawn from the concentrations of the drug in the urine as to the amount of drug administeredor in determining the level of impairment.

Billing Inquiries

Can you tell me if my Insurance Carrier will be accepted for reimbursement?

Yes, we can work with you to see if Dominion Diagnostics is a networked provider with a particular insurance carrier or health plan. Our Payer Relations team is committed to expanding our provider status with payers across the country.

Do you need a copy of the patient’s insurance card?

Yes. If possible, please submit a clean copy of both the front and the back of the patient’s insurance card. If faxing copies, please print ID number/Policy Number, Group Number and Patient Name on the copy.

How do I submit patient demographic information?

Submitting patient demographic information is simple, whether you're using printed requisitions to order testing or placing test orders online with Dominion Connect. The following options are available:

  • Record the information on printed test requisition (in the Patient Information section)
  • Send your facility's face sheet when submitting a specimen to Dominion Diagnostics
  • Upload demographic information to Dominion Diagnostics via Dominion Connect/Select File Upload Tool
  • Add or update patient information online in the Dominion Connect Online Order Entry/Demographics section
  • Use our secure e-mail service to e-mail demographics containing confidential and private patient health information (PHI)
  • Fax demographic information to our HIPAA compliant fax number at (401) 667-0331

Note:  Secure FTP submissions can be provided for large volume testing facilities. 

How does Dominion handle uninsured or self-pay patients?

We will bill them directly, if appropriate. Dominion Diagnostics will directly bill uninsured patients the Usual and Customary Charge (UCC) for laboratory testing ordered by the ordering provider, or may arrange a payment schedule based upon financial need. In addition, Dominion will bill self-pay patients directly. The only information necessary for direct bill is the patient’s name and address.

What patient demographic information does Dominion Diagnostics require for billing purposes?

When submitting a laboratory sample from a specific patient, Dominion Diagnostics requires the following patient demographic information in order to bill the patient’s insurance for ordered testing:

  • Patient’s Name
  • Patient’s Address
  • Date of Birth
  • Social Security Number (for Medicare ONLY)
  • ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code(s)
  • Insurance Company Name
  • Insurance Company Claims Address
  • Member ID
  • Guarantor Information (if applicable)
  • Workers Compensation Claim ID and address (if applicable), Date of Injury and Employer Name
  • Ordering Provider

Who should I contact at Dominion if I have questions about billing?

Call us toll free at 1-800-511-8427, Prompt 4. You’ll be connected with your internal Account Manager, who can help address any concerns you may have. On occasion, there may also be a need to contact your facility for additional information if needed to process a patient’s claim.

Account Changes

Our fax number has changed. Who do we call?

Contact Client Services to make important changes to your Account Information, like adding a new secure fax number.  You can contact a representative via phone at 1-800-511-8427, or via Dominion Connect/Select feedback options online. In order to change your secure fax number, we'll generate a new Secure HIPAA Fax Verification Form and fax it to the new number. Once the number has been verified as secure, our representative will update your account information.

We are adding a new location/program. Can we collect samples there, too?

Yes.  You can work with your Regional Sales Executive or Regional Account Manager to complete the necessary startup requirements to add a location to your Customer Account.  He or she will facilitate the startup paperwork, schedule startup supplies, and schedule additional training if necessary.  Alternatively you may contact Client Services at 1-800-511-8427 to start the process.

We have had staffing changes. What do we do?

Contact Dominion Diagnostics Client Services.  You can reach a representative by phone at 1-800-511-8427, or via Dominion Connect/Select feedback options. We will update your Account Information in our customer database and make any necessary changes to ensure all of your services and support remain intact.  If you need additional inservice training to educate your new staff, our representatives will also work with the Regional Sales Executive and/or Regional Account Manager in your area to coordinate the training.