Tift Regional Now Offers Advanced Diagnostic Testing for Allergies and Autoimmune Diseases
Friday, May 29th, 2026
The Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) Laboratory is now offering the new Phadia 250™ blood testing platform which provides the rapid diagnosis of allergy and autoimmune diseases. Located in Tifton, TRMC is the main hospital for Southwell.
“With this advancement, TRMC is one of the first hospitals in the region to offer comprehensive, high-quality testing for all allergies and autoimmune conditions,” said Spencer Smith, TRMC Asst. Vice President, Ancillary Services. “This will help to increase access to accurate diagnosis and timely treatment for patients.”
Supplied by Thermo Fisher Scientific, Phadia 250™ is an automated laboratory instrument used to diagnose allergies and autoimmune diseases from a single blood sample. It measures allergen-specific IgE and autoimmunity markers with high precision and speed.
Smith said the Phadia 250™ system provides clinically relevant, accurate information to help healthcare providers make more informed treatment decisions.
“This project was driven by our laboratory team and reflects their commitment to expanding high-quality diagnostic services locally,” said Smith. “I especially want to recognize John Ansley, Laboratory Director, for leading the implementation and helping bring this platform online.”
The new blood tests for environmental and food allergies include ImmunoCAP™ specific IgE whole allergen tests and ImmunoCAP™ specific IgE allergen component tests. EliA™ tests are also available to aid in the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and celiac disease.
“The Phadia 250™ gives our team the ability to perform advanced allergy and autoimmune testing from a blood sample with reliable, standardized results,” said John Ansley, TRMC Laboratory Director. “For patients and providers, that means more testing can be performed locally, helping reduce wait times by keeping specimen processing in-house and avoiding many of the delays associated with send-out testing.”
Smith added that TRMC is proud to be able to provide this advanced technology. “It’s another great diagnostic tool for our patients and the community,” he said.
Talk to your provider about a referral. For more information, visit www.MySouthwell.com or call 229-353-7535.
