Specimen Preparation & Shipping

All specimens submitted for testing must be appropriately labeled and documented on a requisition. To order shipping supplies contact Laboratory Client Services at (713) 441-4411.

Each specimen must be labeled with the following information:

• Patient's name
• Patient's unique hospital number or date of birth
• Laboratory of Origin
• Date of collection
• Time of collection
• For Microbiology and Histology/Cytology Specimens please also add source and site

Specimen Packing
All human and animal material must be properly packaged to meet federal and state biohazard precautions, labeled biohazard and shipped appropriately. Refer to the Test Catalog for information on appropriate specimen shipping conditions (ambient, refrigerated, frozen).

Place the specimen in a sealed plastic specimen bag with absorbent material in the bag to contain the contents of the specimen in case of breakage. The plastic bag should be display a biohazard label. Place one specimen per bag with the corresponding requisition placed in the outside pocket of the bag, one sample per bag for each temperature.

Ambient temperature – no special temperature conditions.

Refrigerated specimens – ship in a Styrofoam mailing container with a coolant pack. Label the outside of the container, Refrigerated Material – Do Not Freeze.

Frozen specimens – ship in a Styrofoam mailing container with dry ice. Label the outside of the container Frozen Material – Do Not Thaw.

Houston Area Pickup

Courier service is available to outreach clients in the Houston area. Call Laboratory Client Services at (713) 441-4411 for information.

Ship to:
Houston Methodist Diagnostic Laboratories
Central Specimen Receiving
6565 Fannin Street
Dunn Tower, 2nd Floor, D2-109
Houston, TX 77030
(713) 441-1854

For questions contact Laboratory Client Services
7 AM – 6 PM CT, Monday - Friday, After Hours, Weekends & Holidays
Phone # (713) 441-4411
Fax # (713) 441-4412