Urgent Testing
Service: an on-call service to detect many viruses is offered 24/7 to inform important clinical management or public health decisions. This is accessed through the VIDRL on-call medical officer.
Tests: these tests are routinely offered urgently on request . Occasionally other urgent out of hours testing can be arranged through the VIDRL on-call medical officer, depending on circumstances and out of hours availability of suitably expert staff.
Turnaround time (TAT): for most nucleic acid tests tests turnaround is within 3 hours of specimen receipt. When high-containment laboratory processing is required TAT will be longer.
Specimen selection and transport: follow specimen selection guidelines for the appropriate test in the VIDRL test handbook . Transport should be to VIDRL by the fastest means possible: urgent courier or taxi, not routine transport.
Shipping: IATA compliant packaging (see IATA website for more details) should be used for all interstate or international referrals. An experienced courier should be used. The shipping address is:
Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL)
Doherty Institute
792 Elizabeth St
Melbourne
Vic. 3000
Specimen dropoff: All specimens and small parcels delivered to VIDRL after 5:30 pm and at weekends should be deposited in the specimen delivery box located on the Grattan St face of the Doherty Institute (see site map and photo).
Liaison for results: please ensure a telephone number (mobile or landline guaranteed to be manned) is included with specimen paperwork to ensure results can be communicated urgently to those who need them.