Lab

University Health Services Lab

University Health Services is home to an onsite medical laboratory available to all registered students and spouses of students enrolled in the Penn State Student Health Insurance plan (SHIP). The lab is accredited by the Commission on Laboratory Accreditation (COLA), and approved by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA).

Commonly ordered tests performed within the lab include complete blood count and urinalysis. A Quest Diagnostics Reference Lab is also used for less commonly ordered tests.

The lab is staffed by medical technologists certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) and overseen by a board-certified pathologist.

All lab visits are by appointment only.

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Request Lab Work

To request lab work, schedule an appointment by calling UHS or online at myUHS, please bring a lab order from your clinician to the lab reception desk. The lab processes requests from both University Health Services and outside clinicians. If you are bringing a lab order from an outside clinician, we ask that you report to the lab before 4:00 p.m. All outside clinician orders are sent to Quest Diagnostics, please check with your health insurance carrier for lab coverage information prior to completing any lab work at UHS.

Your lab order must include all of the following information:

• Patient name
• Patient's date of birth
• Ordering provider’s:
  • Name
  • Address
  • NPI number
  • Phone number
  • Fax number
  • Signature
  • Test orders and diagnosis codes

Pre-employment drug screening

Pre-employment urine drug screen collections are available at the University Health Services Lab. You must bring a Chain of Custody Form from Quest Diagnostics to initiate testing or a document from the requesting employer including:

• Company name and address
• Contact person
• Phone and fax number
• Drug screen panel

You will also need to show a current photo ID. Please be prepared to provide a urine sample during your drug screening.

STI Self-Testing

University Health Services offers STI self-testing to detect gonorrhea and chlamydia. To complete a test, schedule an appointment through myUHS. On the day of the appointment, visit the lab reception desk (fourth floor of the Student Health Center) and ask for your STI self-test.

Students can pay at the time of service or we can bill your student account (charges will not list specific reasons for the visit). The cost of the STI self-test is $42.00 which may be paid at the time of specimen collection or billed to your bursar account. If you have health insurance, we can also bill your insurance, your costs may vary depending on your insurance plan and coverage. Currently, students can perform self-STI tests for free, funded by the Student Initiated Fee. 

Be aware that private insurance companies sometimes notify the subscriber (often parents) as to what tests are done for covered individuals. Therefore, the subscriber may get a notice from the private insurance company that "student X had a chlamydia test done on date X" though results are generally not reported. If you are concerned, it is a good idea to contact your insurance company before you get tested and inquire about their billing policies. Paying at the time of service avoids using your private insurance altogether.

Currently, University Health Services offers only vaginal and urine gonorrhea and chlamydia self-collection tests due to lab equipment certification. UHS understands that it would be desirable for patients to have a self-collection option with regard to other anatomical sites and is working to provide more inclusive self-testing options in the future.

Fees

Basic University Health Services medical service fees do not include the cost of laboratory services. Laboratory services are subject to separate charges for each service performed. The fee depends upon the lab study ordered by your clinician. University Health Services accepts insurance for laboratory services. Please visit our Billing for Medical Services page for more information on accepted insurance plans.