Quick Question Summary: Specimen Hemolysis

Our November Quick Question was “What is your institution’s policy regarding artifactual hemolysis?

a. Ignore hemolysis: 4% (3)
b. Reject all plasmas with visible hemolysis: 49% (34)
c. Assay anyway and append a comment indicating possible interference: 36% (25)
d. Assay for plasma hemoglobin and reject plasmas above an established limit: 11% (8)

The split between “reject” and “append comment” is relatively even. I assume the labs that assay and append a comment may be those that provide a referral service and have limited access to the patient. For those who assay the plasma hemoglobin, please share with us your rejection limit. Thanks for participating, Geo.