Digitising laboratory test requests and results means replacing paper request forms and the bench register with a single circuit: the clinician enters the request in the patient record, the laboratory processes it, and the validated result returns to that same record. The benefits are practical: fewer identification errors, fewer lost results and tests that are actually billed.
Key takeaways
- An illegible or incomplete request form is one of the main sources of laboratory errors.
- A digital request identifies the patient, the requesting clinician, the tests and the priority level without ambiguity.
- The result goes back to the patient record after validation by the laboratory scientist or laboratory head.
- Matching every test performed against billing prevents forgotten charges.
- The transition needs preparation: a test list, clear roles and a backup procedure.
Why the paper laboratory circuit is costly
In many facilities, the request leaves on a handwritten form that the patient carries to the laboratory, and the patient later comes back for a printed result. Every hand-over is a chance for loss or error.
Example: in a 30-bed clinic in Lagos, a doctor requests a blood glucose test and a full blood count. The form only says “Mrs A.”, with no date of birth. That morning, two patients share the same name: the technician has to call the ward to clear the doubt, and both patients wait.
The problems are almost always the same:
- illegible handwriting or abbreviations specific to each clinician;
- incomplete patient identity, with a risk of swapped results;
- printed results lost between the laboratory and the ward;
- tests performed but never billed, because the lab register and the cashier are not linked;
- previous results impossible to find when the doctor wants to compare.
What a digital test request must contain
A digital request is only useful if it is complete from the start. The table below lists the information to require and the reason for each item.
| Information | Why it is essential |
|---|---|
| Patient identity: identifier, name, date of birth, sex | Prevent swapped results and duplicate records |
| Requesting clinician and department | Know who receives the result and who to contact with questions |
| Tests chosen from a fixed list | Remove ambiguous abbreviations and make billing easier |
| Priority: urgent or routine | Organise laboratory work according to real urgency |
| Relevant information for the laboratory | Give the laboratory scientist the context needed for interpretation |
| Date and time of the request | Measure turnaround time and trace the patient journey |
The patient identifier is the cornerstone: without it, software simply reproduces paper errors. We cover this in our article on unique patient identifiers and duplicate records.
How to digitise test requests and results in 6 steps
- Draw up the test list. The laboratory head lists the tests performed on site and those sent to a partner laboratory, with their prices.
- Define roles. Specify who requests, who records the sample, who enters the result, who validates it and who can view it.
- Set priority rules. Agree with clinicians on what justifies an “urgent” flag and the expected turnaround for those requests.
- Secure sample identification. Every tube or container carries at least the patient’s name, identifier and sampling date, checked in front of the patient.
- Plan a transition period. Keep a paper backup procedure for a few weeks and check every evening that all the day’s requests were entered.
- Measure and adjust. Track result turnaround time and the number of incomplete requests, then fix the bottlenecks.
Example: a health centre in Kumasi decides that only the emergency unit and the maternity ward can flag a request as urgent, unless the laboratory scientist agrees otherwise. The rule is written down, posted in the laboratory and explained to every new doctor.
From result to patient record: validation and reporting
A result that has been entered is not yet a result that has been reported. The basic rule is simple: the technician enters, the laboratory scientist or laboratory head validates, and only then can the requesting clinician view the result in the patient record.
This separation protects the facility. If a result is disputed, you know who performed the test, who validated it and when the result became available.
Results that require a phone call
Some results require the clinician to be informed immediately. The list of these situations is for the laboratory scientist and the doctors to define, not for the software. Record in the file who informed whom, and at what time.
Imaging follows the same logic
For X-rays or ultrasound, the request starts from the patient record and the radiologist’s report returns to it. Example: in Tamale, a patient seen in outpatients no longer has to carry the ultrasound report back to the doctor’s consulting room.
Linking the laboratory to billing
A test performed but not billed is a straight loss. On paper, reconciling the lab register with cashier receipts rarely happens, for lack of time.
When requests and invoices are managed in the same system, the check becomes simple: every test performed must match a billed item, paid by the patient in naira or cedis, or covered by a payer such as an HMO in Nigeria or Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Our guide to hospital billing and revenue leakage details these checks.
Also track average result turnaround time: its definition and formula are in our article on hospital dashboard indicators.
The laboratory and MediFlow
MediFlow’s laboratory module is in development: it is not available yet. Today, MediFlow covers on-call management (rosters, attendance, lateness, handovers, operational checks) and the stock room (catalogue, stock movements, inventories, batches, expiry dates, reorder alerts, stock-out forecasts).
The steps in this article help you prepare the digitisation of your laboratory, whatever tool you choose.
Frequently asked questions
Should we digitise the whole laboratory at once?
No. Start with requests and results for the most common tests, then extend to the full list. Keep a paper backup procedure during the transition and check every day that no request was missed.
How should we handle tests sent to an external laboratory?
Record the request as you would an internal test, stating the receiving laboratory. When the result comes back, enter it in the patient record and have it validated according to your internal rule, so the clinician finds it in the same place.
Who should be able to view laboratory results?
The requesting clinician, the care team following the patient and laboratory staff, each according to their role. The cashier needs to know which tests were performed, not the results. Write these rules down before setting up access.
Want to see how MediFlow fits your facility? Request a free demo.