Laboratory overview

The Laboratory module runs lab work for one or more laboratories, in-house or external, from the clinician’s order to results the patient can read.

Key concepts

Concept	What it is
Laboratory	A lab that performs tests: your own (In-house) or another one you send specimens to (External reference lab). Each has its own workflow steps, team, test prices and billing.
Test catalog	One list of tests and panels (groups of tests) shared by all your labs: names, codes, result formats, reference ranges.
Offering	A laboratory’s terms for a catalog test or panel: its price, its cost to the clinic, external code, turnaround and optionally its own reference ranges. A lab only performs what it offers.
Team	The staff who work in a laboratory. Team membership plus the Process or Verify permission is what lets someone work that lab’s orders.
Lab order	Tests and panels ordered for one patient, at one laboratory, with a priority. Clinical information for the lab goes in the order’s notes. It has an accession number such as HEM26-000123.
Result	The value entered for one test on an order: a number, a choice, text or a file, flagged against reference ranges.
Lab fee	What the clinic pays an external laboratory for an order (when the clinic pays that lab). This isn’t the patient’s bill.

The life of a lab order

Ordered ─► Specimen collected ─► In progress ─► Resulted ─► Verified ─► Released
   │              │                   │             (if required)    (or automatic)
   └──────────────┴─────► Cancelled   │
                                      └─ Voided (after release, results withdrawn)

Status	Meaning
Ordered	Placed, waiting for the specimen (or for processing, if the lab has no collection step).
Specimen collected	The specimen has been taken.
In progress	Being processed, or sent to the external lab.
Resulted	Every test has a result, and the lab has marked it as resulted.
Verified	Checked by a second person (when the lab requires verification).
Released	Results are available to clinicians outside the lab, and to the patient if allowed.
Cancelled	Won’t be done.
Voided	Released results were withdrawn.

Each test on an order also has its own status: Pending, Resulted, Cancelled or Voided.

The steps a lab uses depend on its workflow settings: whether it collects specimens, requires second-person verification, and releases automatically. See Setting up laboratories.

Who sees what

Person	Sees the order	Sees result values
Staff with Read all lab results	Every order	Once released
Staff with Read lab results of patients in their care	Orders for patients they’re actively involved with (for example a current appointment)	Once released
Whoever placed the order	Their orders	Once released
Whoever entered a result on it	That order	Always
A team member of the lab with Process or Verify	All that lab’s orders	Always
The patient, in the portal	Orders marked Show in patient portal	Once released

Permissions

Permission	Allows	Starts on these roles
Read all lab results	See every lab order and result.	Manager
Read lab results of patients in their care	See orders for patients in their care.	Doctor
Create lab orders	Order tests.	Doctor, Nurse
Edit lab order links (visit, treatment)	Change which records an order’s tests belong to. Show or hide any order in the portal.	Manager
Cancel lab orders	Cancel any open order. Without it you can cancel only your own orders while they’re still Ordered.	Manager
Process lab orders (collect specimens, enter results)	Work orders in the labs you’re a team member of.	-
Verify and release lab results	Verify and release in the labs you’re a team member of.	-
Manage laboratories, tests and panels	Set up labs, the catalog and teams. See costs, lab fees and the access log.	Manager
Void and correct released lab results	Withdraw or correct released results.	Manager

Give your lab staff Process and/or Verify, and add them to the lab’s Team. Both are needed.

In this section

Setting up laboratories: laboratories, workflow, files, billing, team, the test catalog and offerings.
Ordering tests: placing an order, connecting it to visits and treatments.
Processing and results: collection, processing, entering results, verifying and releasing.
After release: corrections, voiding, the patient portal and the access log.
Paying laboratories: lab fees, paying and refunds.

See also the guide Run a lab test from order to result.