Set up the lab's tests

When you need this

You are setting up the lab, or you start offering a new test or change a price. The tests on your list are the ones the front desk can order on a visit and a partner hospital can order by code. Most tests come from the catalogue, ready made with their components and suggested ranges: you switch them on and give them your price. A test the catalogue doesn't have, you create yourself.

Steps

Open Setup in the menu. Under Lists, click Tests. The Lab Configuration page has three tabs: My Tests (the tests your lab offers), Available Tests (the catalogue) and Collection fees (see Charge collection fees).

Switch on a test from the catalogue:

1. Click the Available Tests tab.
2. Search for the test by name or code, or narrow the list with All Categories.
3. Switch it on under Enabled, or click its row. Configure Test Profile opens, with the catalogue's name and code at the top.
4. Fill in what you need. Anything left blank uses the catalogue's:
   • Display Name: the name your lab uses.
   • Code: hospitals order this test by its code. Leave it blank to use the catalogue's code, shown in the box.
   • Abbreviation.
   • The price: Price (excl. tax), or Price (incl. tax) if your prices include VAT. Tax is added to this amount or What the patient pays under the box tells you which.
   • Turnaround (days) and Collection Requirements.
   • Print results only: the report shows Test Name and Result only, without the range and flag columns. For tests read as words, such as urinalysis or a culture.
   • Active: leave it on.
5. Click Save.

Create a test the catalogue doesn't have:

1. On My Tests, click Create Test. New Custom Test opens.
2. Fill in the Code, Name and Specimen Type: Save stays grey until they're filled in. No other active test can use the same code.
3. Add the Department, the price, Turnaround (days), Description and Collection Requirements if you have them, and switch on Print results only if it applies.
4. Click Save.
5. If the catalogue has a test that looks the same, Already in the catalogue? asks first. Click Enable and the test's name to use the catalogue's (it comes with its components and suggested ranges), or Create my own anyway.

Change a test:

1. On My Tests, click the test.
2. Click Configure (a catalogue test) or Edit (a test you created), change what you need and click Save.
3. The test's page also shows its Billing (the price, and the Catalogue item it bills as, with Open item) and its Components. Switch a component off under On if your analyser doesn't report it: it leaves result entry. Add Component adds one the catalogue test lacks.
4. To set a component's reference ranges, click it: see Set reference ranges.

Stop offering a test: switch it off under Enabled on Available Tests, or open it and choose Remove from the three dots. Confirm with Yes, remove.

What you should see

• Profile configuration saved or Custom test created, and the test on My Tests with its Code, price and Active. A test you created also says Custom.
• On Available Tests, the test's Enabled switch is on.

If something goes wrong

• "Another active test already uses the code TFT (Thyroid function tests). Give this test its own code." (with your code and test): two active tests can't share a code. Type a different one.
• "A test the lab created has no catalogue code to go back to. Give it a code.": you cleared the code of a test you created. Type one.
• "Some tests can't be ordered by code" at the top of My Tests: hospitals order tests by their code, so each active test needs one of its own. The notice lists the tests under No code: and under … is used by 2 tests:. Click each test and give it its own code.
• Save stays grey on New Custom Test: Code, Name or Specimen Type is empty.
• "This analyte has no lab row yet; disable and re-enable the test first": switch the test off on Available Tests, then on again.
• Reset to Default in Configure Test Profile asks Reset to Default? and removes your settings for the test. Use it only to start again from the catalogue's.