BMP Test Processing Time: What to Expect & Potential Issues

Question
How long does the lab have to process a BMP test. My mothers wasn't done for over 24hrs and there is a lot of flagged references. Could the blood of sat too long?

Answer
Hi Jenise.  I can't answer this queston specifically for the lab where you had your mother's blood tested, but I can answer generally.  The blood for a BMP (Basic Metabolic Panel) test should never sit for 24 hours.  Generally the blood should be spun down (so the liquid part of the blood can be tested) within 2-4 hours of collection.  Also if the test is done and there are alot of flagged results, this should alert the technician that maybe the blood wasn't processed correctly.  Also, the test may have been done in the required amount of time, but the doctor may not have been given the results for 24 hours, which is a normal amount of time for the doctor to receive the results.  Check with your mother's doctor, if there was any question about the processing time, he/she could have your mother's test redone.

Samantha