About the Michigan Laboratory System

The Michigan Laboratory System (MILS) is a statewide, voluntary network of public health and private clinical laboratories, as well as veterinary, agricultural and environmental laboratories that serve Michigan residents.  Established by the Michigan Department of Community Health Bureau of Laboratories, the MILS provides a laboratory network essential for statewide emergency preparedness and response by promoting inter-laboratory communication, collaboration, and cooperation. The MILS also plays a key role in detecting and investigating common and emerging infectious disease outbreaks, monitoring trends in antibiotic resistance, providing continuing education and training, facilitating safe transport of specimens, and assuring quality laboratory practice. A vital part of this system is electronic connectivity among all the members through email and the state's Health Alert Network (MIHAN).

Training Information

• MDCH Training Calendar
• MDCH On-line Course Available in MI-TRAIN: Laboratory Response and Hopital Preparedness in a Chemical Threat Event
• APHL Training Site  
  

Laboratory Advisory Group

The Michigan Public Health Laboratory System Advisory Group was re-established in 2009 as a result of the Michigan Laboratory System Improvement Program (LSIP) assessment.  The intent of the assessment was to identify opportunities for improvement by determining the strengths and weaknesses across Michigan's entire public health laboratory system. The assessment utilized a tool developed by the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) and based on the Ten Essential Public Health Services and the Core Functions and Capabilities of State Public Health Laboratories.  The evaluation of Michigan's performance measured against a standard describing optimal performance was completed in March 2009 by participants representing the spectrum of system constituents from those who initiate testing to those who ultimately use the test results. The first step identified by the assessment was to re-establish the Michigan Public Health Laboratory System Advisory Group that was charged to discuss, prioritize and assign responsibilities for the recommendations compiled during the LSIP assessment as well as identify additional action items to be addressed. 

• LSIP Final Report
• LSIP Scoring Tool
• LabLink article describing the process 
   

Antimicrobial Resistance Information

The emergence in Michigan of the first VRSA (vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) in 2002 has focused world attention on antimicrobial resistance and the overuse of antibiotics as important public health issues.

MDCH supports Michigan clinical/sentinel laboratories in their detection of antimicrobial resistance by providing microbiologists with updates and guidance documents on current recommendations and best practices. The BOL also compiles data on statewide trends in resistance. When finalized, trend reports will be posted on this page.

Martha Boehme
MDCH Antimicrobial Resistance Microbiologist
General Lab e-mail:  MDCHlab@michigan.gov

QA Support for Rapid HIV Testing

The Bureau of Laboratories continues to expand its support of the MDCH Rapid HIV testing program.  This program began in 2003, with a pilot project at three community-based organization test sites and three local health departments, where non-laboratorian counselors were trained to perform the waived tests.  As the MDCH HIV Program continues to expand the number of locations within the State that provide on-site rapid HIV testing, now at 14 sites, the BOL enhances the quality assurance program it has developed to assure quality testing regardless of the environment in which that testing is performed.  To support this activity, the Laboratory provides training and periodic quality assessment of each site to assure accurate testing and reporting.

Laboratory Response Network (LRN)

The Laboratory Response Network is comprised of laboratories throughout the nation which are capable of analyzing or referring specimens that may contain microbial agents or biological toxins.  They include clinical, veterinary, environmental, food, agriculture, and public health laboratories that serve as sentinels for agents that may threaten the public's health.

• APHL Description of LRN Sentinel Laboratories 
• APHL Sentinel Clinical Laboratory Resources  
   

BT Information

• Michigan Prepares Biological Emergencies Page
• CDC BT Emergency Page
• ASM BT Shipping Guidelines 
• ASM Clinical Lab BT Readiness Plan 
• ASM Sentinel Level Clinical Microbiology Laboratory Guidelines 
• Laboratory Network for Biological Terrorism
  

 CT Information

• MDCH on-line CT training available on MiTrain
• Michigan Prepares Chemical Emergency Page
• CDC Chemical Emergency Page
• CDC Chemical Agent Listing by Category
  

Contacts

• MDCH Contacts
  General Lab E-mail:  MDCHlab@michigan.gov
  Lab's Contact Us page
• APHL State PH Contact Listing
  

Rev.  8/18/2009