Changes to Long-term Care Home Outbreak Laboratory Requisitions

Hamilton Public Health (HPH) supports long-term care homes (LTCHs) with outbreak management, including providing laboratory test requisitions to support testing during a declared outbreak. Effective October 26, 2026, HPH is updating these lab requisitions to change the designated ordering health care provider to the provider responsible for providing care within the LTCH.

The following changes will take effect on October 26, 2026:

• HPH will continue to provide laboratory requisitions to support outbreak testing; however, the HPH Associate Medical Officer of Health (AMOH) will no longer be listed as the ordering physician.
• LTCHs must identify their Medical Director as the ordering health care provider. To support this change, the Medical Director’s name must be entered in the Submitter / Health Care Provider (HCP) Information section at the top of the General Test Requisition.
• All outbreak laboratory requisitions provided by HPH will continue to include:
  • The HPH AMOH’s name in the Copy to Other Lab / Health Unit / Authorized Health Care Provider (HCP) section.
  • The applicable investigation/outbreak number.

HPH thanks all LTCHs for their support in implementing this change and for their vigilance and collaboration in outbreak reporting and management.

Reporting a Suspect or Confirmed Outbreak

To report a suspect or confirmed outbreak to Hamilton Public Health, call 905-546-2063 and ask to speak with a Public Health Inspector. After hours or on weekends, request to speak with the Public Health Inspector on call. Visit www.hamilton.ca/HCP for more information.