To better serve our patients, Fred Hutch is upgrading lab equipment at all our locations. This upgrade will allow Fred Hutch to provide test results sooner and more consistently, helping ensure more appointments stay on schedule.
UW Medicine will be upgrading to the same equipment beginning in 2026.
What to Expect
The new equipment uses different reference ranges, also called “normal ranges,” for some tests. Your lab results or tumor markers may look different. You will also see: Updated reference ranges for some lab results. A reference range is the set of numbers that determines what is usually considered normal or abnormal for a test result.
- Your results will still show you if they are normal or abnormal within the updated reference range.
- Updated reference ranges will be included with your results in MyChart to help you interpret them accurately.
Example reference range:
If you have questions about trends in your lab results, please contact your care team.
While we work to upgrade equipment across all our locations, you may notice differences between your lab results if they are run on the previous equipment at one visit, and the new equipment at another.
- For tests where the reference range is very different with the new equipment, you will see a note with your results in MyChart telling you the test was run on the new equipment.
UW Medicine will begin upgrading to the same equipment in 2026 and expects to complete the project in 2027.
From 2026-2027, some test results run on equipment at UW will have different reference ranges and values than those tests run at Fred Hutch.
Understanding Your Lab Results
Timeline
The new equipment will be installed in stages at each location over the next several months.
Dates are subject to change and will be updated as needed.
| Location | Date new equipment will begin being used |
|---|---|
| Fred Hutch - Peninsula | January 12, 2026 |
| Satellite Lab – Sloan Clinic 2, Floor 3 This lab serves the GI Care Neighborhood | February 9, 2026 |
| Satellite Lab - Sloan Clinic 2, Floor 4 This lab serves the Care Neighborhoods on floors 2 and 4 – THN, NeuroOncology, GU and Sarcoma | February 17, 2026 |
| Satellite Lab – Sloan Clinic 1, Floor 6 This lab serves Immunotherapy and Lymphoma | March 9, 2026 |
| Alliance Lab, Sloan Clinic 1, Floor 1 Main lab (includes Tumor Markers for all Fred Hutch locations) | April 20–May 6, 2026 |
| Fred Hutch at Overlake Cancer Center | June 1, 2026 |
| Fred Hutch at EvergreenHealth | August 24, 2026 |
Our new equipment gives test results faster, so your care team is more likely to be able to talk about them with you during your visit.
The new equipment is more dependable and less likely to break than our current equipment. This also helps your care team get your results quickly, so you can get the care you need without delays.
For most tests, there are no or very small changes in the reference ranges (the set of numbers that shows what is considered normal for a lab test).
Some tests done on the new equipment use different reference ranges from the previous equipment. This means numbers on your lab results or tumor markers might look different.
Your results in MyChart will show the correct reference ranges to help you understand them.
Your care team will contact you if your results need follow up.
There may be differences if some of your tests are done on the previous equipment and some on the new equipment. This is more likely to happen if you have labs done at different Fred Hutch or UW Medicine locations.
Both sets of equipment give correct results, but they use different ranges to decide what is normal.
For tests with big changes in reference ranges, MyChart will include a note saying the test was done on the new equipment.
You will also notice that test results with big changes in the reference range will not show on the same graph as previous results when you use the “Trend Results” feature in MyChart.
All test results are a permanent part of your medical record. You and your care team will always be able to see them in your MyChart account.
Yes. For some tests, the reference ranges between the previous and new equipment are the same or only have small differences. These tests will still show together in MyChart and can be seen on the same graph when you use the “Trend Results” feature.
For other tests that have more differences in the reference ranges, you will not be able to directly compare results from the new equipment with those from the previous equipment. Results from different equipment will show separately from each other in MyChart. You will still be able to track your results over time, but the graph will restart with the first result from the new equipment.
Fred Hutch and UW Medicine locations are planning to transition to the new equipment starting January 2026 and finishing in 2027.
Yes, you can choose for your test results to show in MyChart right away or for your health care provider to see them before you do. The default setting in MyChart is to automatically show your test results as soon as possible.
To adjust your settings, from the MyChart home page, select “Account Settings” - “Communication Preferences” and choose either “Show me test results as soon as possible” or “Wait to show me test results.” If you select “Wait to show me test results” and your care team has not reviewed your results after 4 days, they will be released to you without comments from your care team.
Learn more about MyChart.
We are here to support you. Please reach out to your care team with any questions.
Questions?
Please contact your care team if you have any questions.