Articles

The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled the huge challenges and risks health workers are facing globally including healthcare-associated infections, violence, stigma, psychological and emotional disturbances, illness, and even death. Furthermore, working in stressful environments makes health workers more prone to errors which can lead to patient harm. Therefore, the World Patient Safety Day 2020:Theme: Health Worker Safety: A Priority for Patient SafetySlogan: Safe health workers, Safe patientsCall ...

CTS lab staff recently participated in a Kaizen and determined emailed Daily Shipment Schedules to be a process improvement. The completion and emailing of the Daily Shipment Schedule (DSS) is an important step when sending sample shipments to CTS for testing. It is important that all necessary information is documented correctly for several reasons. The flight information and box count allow CTS to ensure the entire shipment is received and the information helps us investigate if a shipment doe...

As a friendly reminder, airlines often change their routine flights and cargo hours for holidays. We recommend you check with your couriers, airline carriers, and Fed-Ex or UPS if applicable to verify hours for the upcoming Labor Day holiday so that you can avoid any issues with the transportation of your samples to CTS. Happy Labor Day!

CTS will implement the Bio-Rad Geenius HIV 1/2 supplemental assay on Monday September 21, 2020. The newly licensed Geenius test is an immunochromatographic assay designed to confirm and differentiate individual antibodies to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Types 1 and 2. The assay will be replacing the HIV-1 Western blot and HIV-2 EIA assays which are performed on samples with a reactive result on a licensed HIV 1/2 screening test.Read all about it on the Communication page by clicking this li...

CTS will be revising some forms in use by clients on October 26, 2020. We do try to limit form changes to once a year when possible.  You can review the list of forms revising by clicking this link: Communications 

After a thorough and comprehensive review of proposals received from suppliers of viral marker testing platforms and assays, CTS has decided to convert to the Ortho VERSEIA Integrated Processor (VIP) viral marker testing platform and associated assays in January 2021. An exact conversion date will be provided when available. We are confident that the VERSIA system will allow us to continue delivering on our commitment to support our clients in their life-saving mission.Read all about it on the C...

In 2016, the Procleix Panther instrument was introduced by Grifols in support of automated NAT ZIKA testing and has been approved by the US FDA for WNV, ZIKA, and now Ultrio Elite testing. The Procleix Panther instrument with its automated process will allow the CTS laboratories to operate with increased efficiencies with processing all three assays (WNV, ZIKA, Ultrio Elite) using a single pooled or individual donation sample. We expect less downtime and fewer NAT assay failures. On Tu...

As a friendly reminder, airlines often change their routine flights and cargo hours for holidays. We recommend you check with your couriers, airline carriers, and Fed-Ex or UPS if applicable to verify hours for the upcoming 4th of July so that you can avoid any issues with the transportation of your samples to CTS. Happy 4th of July!

CTS originally communicated that Tampa will convert from the current Grifols Ultrio Plus NAT triplex assay (HIV 1/2, HBV and HCV), performed on the Tigris testing platform, to the -enhanced Ultrio Elite triplex assay performed on the Panther testing platform on July 13, 2020.  The implementation date has been moved up to July 7th.  Contact your Customer Service Manager if you have any questions! 

After a recent reevaluation of the Monolisa anti-HBs EIA package insert, the CTS QA/Scientific team is changing the acceptable shipping conditions for samples requiring this test. Effective immediately, samples requiring Monolisa anti-HBs EIA testing must be shipped directly to Special Testing in CTS Phoenix at 2-8 C using wet ice or frozen using dry ice.Samples submitted to CTS in the routine donor sample shipper will be deemed unacceptable for the Monolisa anti-HBs EIA test. If you have questi...