Lab & Imaging Orders Management with Alerts
Missing or delayed lab and imaging results are a common and stressful challenge in any busy healthcare setting. Providers and staff frequently struggle with incomplete orders, overlooked results, and communication breakdowns—which can lead to risks for patient care and compliance concerns. This guide presents a proven, step-by-step workflow to reliably track all provider orders, coordinate follow-up actions, and ensure every critical or abnormal result is escalated and closed out. By following this structured approach, you'll gain confidence, improve patient safety, and enjoy a smoother, more organized process from order placement to final resolution.
Important Considerations
Careful attention to privacy, documentation, and escalation procedures is essential to comply with healthcare regulations and ensure patient safety.
- Always verify patient identity—use MRN and DOB, not just names.
- Electronically document every notification and result hand-off.
- Follow HIPAA and local privacy guidelines when handling sensitive data.
- Escalate urgent/abnormal results per clinic/organizational protocol.
- Check that all tracking and notification systems are functioning before starting.
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Workflow Guide For
Lab & Imaging Orders Management with Alerts
Setting Up for Success
Before you start, confirm that you have access to all required systems and information, and that your tracking and notification tools are ready.
- Access to Electronic Health Record (EHR) system
- Order management/tracking spreadsheet or software
- Provider and patient contact directories
- Secure messaging or alert system for providers
- Reminder or calendar software for follow-ups
Important Considerations
Careful attention to privacy, documentation, and escalation procedures is essential to comply with healthcare regulations and ensure patient safety.
- Always verify patient identity—use MRN and DOB, not just names.
- Electronically document every notification and result hand-off.
- Follow HIPAA and local privacy guidelines when handling sensitive data.
- Escalate urgent/abnormal results per clinic/organizational protocol.
- Check that all tracking and notification systems are functioning before starting.
Follow these steps to streamline your workflow and enhance operational efficiency in your role.
Start Here
Step 1: Review Provider Order and Retrieve Patient Information
"Show me the provider's lab and imaging orders for [patient name] with the order date and relevant clinical indications. Also, display the patient's contact details and medical record number."
Goal
Understand exactly what test(s) have been ordered, for whom, and why, so you can proceed with accurate tracking.
Example
"Show me all current imaging and lab orders for Jane Smith, order date 4/2/2024, with ordering provider's notes and patient phone number."
Variations
- "List pending lab orders for John Doe from the past seven days including test names and urgency level."
- "Show all imaging requests for patient #87234 and related documentation."
Troubleshooting
- Missing order details: Check that the provider entered complete information in the EHR; ask the provider if clinical indications are unclear.
- Multiple patients with same name: Use medical record number (MRN) or date of birth for clarification.
Step 2
Step 2: Log Orders in Tracking System and Set Follow-Up Reminders
"Add the following orders for [patient name] to the lab/imaging tracking sheet, include expected result date, and set a reminder for me to follow up on [due date]."
Goal
Ensure all orders are systematically tracked and that timely follow-up actions are scheduled to avoid missed results.
Example
"Add CBC, lipid panel, and X-ray ordered for Jane Smith on 4/2/2024 to the tracker. Set reminders for 4/9/2024 to check lab and 4/5/2024 for imaging."
Variations
- "Update tracking log with all new orders for today. Set automated check-ins on the result due dates."
- "Assign a task in Asana/EHR for follow-up on John Doe’s pending MRI."
- "Batch import recent orders into the order management spreadsheet."
Troubleshooting
- Not seeing order in system: Confirm the order was submitted and properly synced from the EHR.
- Reminder not set: Double-check the calendar or task system configuration and permissions.
Step 3
Step 3: Check for and Retrieve Lab/Imaging Results
"Retrieve the latest lab and imaging results for [patient name]; highlight abnormal or flagged findings and note the date received."
Goal
Efficiently obtain all results, especially abnormal or urgent findings, ensuring nothing is overlooked.
Example
"Get me Jane Smith’s CBC, lipid panel, and X-ray results—show any critical or abnormal values and when they were uploaded to the record."
Variations
- "Fetch all available test results for John Doe completed this week and highlight anything out of reference range."
- "Alert me if any imaging reports for patient #87234 are marked as STAT or flagged by the radiologist."
Troubleshooting
- Result not found: Check if the lab or imaging department has delayed processing or if results were posted under a different event or location.
- Urgent result missed: Adjust filters to capture all critical/flagged status reports, and re-check the tracking system.
Step 4
Step 4: Notify Provider and Escalate Urgent Results
"Summarize and send flagged or urgent lab/imaging results for [patient name] to Dr. [provider name], noting required timeline for provider action. Document the notification in the patient record."
Goal
Promptly inform the provider of any critical/abnormal findings for timely patient care and maintain a clear audit trail.
Example
"Flag Jane Smith’s elevated potassium as ‘critical’ and notify Dr. Lee in the EHR messaging system. Document notification with timestamp."
Variations
- "Escalate stat chest X-ray result to the on-call doctor. CC relevant nursing staff."
- "Generate a summary report of all abnormal results for today’s patients for Dr. Smith’s review."
Troubleshooting
- Provider not responding: Follow escalation policy (e.g., call or message backup provider) per clinic protocol.
- Documentation issue: Ensure notification steps are recorded accurately in EHR for compliance.
Step 5
Step 5: Update Tracking System and Confirm Task Completion
"Mark [patient name]'s lab/imaging order as resolved in the tracking system and document all completed steps, including provider notification and patient contact if needed."
Goal
Close the loop on the order, ensuring all actions are documented and the tracking system reflects the current status.
Example
"Mark CBC and X-ray for Jane Smith as result received and action taken. Note in comments: Dr. Lee notified, patient left voicemail on 4/3/2024."
Variations
- "Update order status to ‘Closed’ after results addressed and documentation complete."
- "Batch close multiple resolved orders after daily review."
Troubleshooting
- Status won’t update: Make sure you have the correct permissions in tracking software or check network connectivity.
- Missing documentation: Double-check EHR inbox/sent messages and add detail if needed.
Step 6
Step 7
What You'll Achieve
By completing this workflow, you will establish a reliable and clear process for managing lab and imaging orders from start to finish. You’ll ensure that every provider order is documented, followed up, and closed with no missed or unaddressed results. This leads to greater peace of mind, consistent regulatory compliance, and improved care coordination for patients and providers alike.
Measuring Your Success
Consistent use of this workflow should result in faster, error-free order tracking and improved provider communication. You’ll know you’re successful when orders are closed out promptly and abnormal results are never missed.
- Percentage of orders tracked with no missed results
- Average result turnaround time
- Error rate in order documentation/closure
- Provider follow-up times for flagged/urgent results
- Compliance with documentation protocols
Troubleshooting Your Workflow
Navigating workflow challenges can be daunting. This guide offers practical troubleshooting tips and innovative strategies to enhance your AI implementation.
Pro Tips & Tricks
- Create dropdown lists in your tracker for common test names and statuses to save time and prevent typos.
- Batch log new orders at set times each day rather than piecemeal.
- Use color-coding in spreadsheets to highlight overdue orders or abnormal results.
- Set automated reminders via your EHR or calendar rather than relying on memory.
- Keep a quick reference sheet for escalation contacts and protocols near your workstation.
- Review closed orders weekly to identify and prevent process gaps.
- Leverage templates for provider notifications to save time and ensure consistency.
Common Issues & Solutions
Even with a good process, hiccups may occur. Here’s how to solve some of the most frequent problems you might face:
- Issue: Orders missing from the tracking system.
Solution: Confirm entry in the EHR, and verify correct data sync or manual logging routines. - Issue: Reminders or follow-ups not triggering.
Solution: Verify that the reminder/calendar software is correctly configured and that notifications are enabled. - Issue: Duplicate or incorrect patient records.
Solution: Always reference MRN and confirm with patient demographics before action. - Issue: Missed or delayed escalation of critical results.
Solution: Set STAT/critical alerts and double-check flagged results during routine reviews. - Issue: Poor documentation of provider notifications.
Solution: Create a standard documentation note template to streamline and standardize this step.
Best Practices to Follow
- Verify order completeness before starting the workflow.
- Double-check patient identifiers before documentation or notification.
- Document every communication about critical or abnormal results.
- Follow escalation and documentation policies strictly for abnormal or urgent findings.
- Regularly audit your tracking system for unclosed orders.
- Hold weekly huddles to review any tracking or communication breakdowns.
Level Up Your Order Management
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