Home Forums Customizing order of lab tests

I don't find a reference to this on the board, but maybe everyone already knows. In case not....

During initial setup we entered the lab tests that we use in Administrator options, obviously. AC alphabetizes them. Unfortunately, that meant that some commonly used lab tests were near the bottom of the list, and we had to scroll down through the entire list to get to, say, urinalysis. Also, we found that the panels we had created on printed lab requests were not possible.

However, if we numbered the more common tests, they went to the top of the list. Also, by doing that, we could enter the same test more than once by assigning it a different number. Thus, we could make an entry "3 Lipid panel" and also make an entry "6.1 Lipid panel" then "6.2 Hemoglobin A1C, 6.3 Urine microalbumin, 6.4 chemistry panel" and so forth for grouping our common diabetes tests. The less frequently used tests were left unnumbered to be alphabetized beneath our common/panel list.

A few tests had to be renamed, like "1-25 dihydroxy D3" had to be changed to "Vitamin D3, 1-25 dihydroxy", but this is a trivial exercise, and the lab can cope with it fine, since the order code is unchanged. The number "10" also seems to be listed right after the number "1", but with there are not that many really common tests for us, and with some imagination I think this will save considerable effort.

A task that I have been meaning to start on for a long time. Good for you, and thanks for posting the ALMOST obvious tips on numbering the tests etc. I expect I will copy your scheme exactly!

@dgrauman

Are you talking about the "Tracked Data" section in Admin options? I was wondering how other offices use this section. We are in desperate need of some kind of flow sheet. We are considering an excel flow sheet as recommended in previous posts, but I am also curious to see if anybody uses the "tracked" labs feature and more specifically, how they use it?

Thanks,

S.K.

No, I'm talking about lab lists under "Define orders and order sets" under administrator options, where you enter the lab sets to be selected under orders.

One of our staff did implement a flow sheet using Excel as suggested; the master flow sheet (with tabs for INR, HgBA1C, etc.) was created and lives on a server accessible to all. It can then be imported into a patient's chart. Modifications to the individual patient's flow sheet are saved.

I guess that must be in the new version (V5) since I don't have that option (V4.0.73). Looks like they almost fixed the error with the orders in V5 so I can update soon!

How do you like the use of excel for the flow sheet? Do you have your staff enter the data for each lab that comes in? Do you get your labs electronically (interfaced with AC and imported directly to AC once they are available) or do you get them faxed to pdf on your computers? I was thinking about implementing the excel spreadsheet for our office but you cannot open the labs and excel at the same time (if the labs are coming in electronically). Was wondering what other offices do.

Thanks!

S.K.

Lets not be confused by what version of AC we are talking about. And excell is not a part of either one, and happily the CCHIT version 5 still allows an excel spread sheet.
What most are doing is making a generic flow sheet for complicated patients (or for DM or Coumadin) and storing it on the server, OUTSIDE of AC. Then when needed you import a file, browse on the server to the stored master file, and open it. AC asks if you want to open it with the default program and when you say yes it opens Excel, and your master sheet. THIS ONLY WORKS IF YOUR WORKSTATION HAS MICROSOFT OFFICE, WITH EXCEL. Then you enter the patient name, DOB and AC chart number on the file and whatever data you want to track. When you close it, AC treats THE ONE COPY as an imported file to AC. But it isn't locked. IMHO this is a glitch in AC as it is not a locked file, but is one you can open again in the future and make changes on it with Excel, then again save it in AC.
For your own protection you must remember that very same fact. The file is not locked, and there for you have no way to prove that what you charted was done when you say it was done. For that reason all medical decisions and orders should be on the Progress Note, but the flow sheet is useful in some cases for helping to see trends or make decisions.

Is there an easier way to use practice documents? When I add the document it shows in the practice documents, but I am unable to open the file or use it.

Where are you trying to open it from. I can enter it from the main page, and I can open them from the main page, albeit in a pdf reader that is horrendous.

I have found that Word documents don't work very well if at all. PDFs work fine, but, as stated, open in an AC proprietary viewer. I would just as soon maintain all of my documents elsewhere.

Does anyone know if you can make a lab order set for example called Rheumatoid Panel and all 10 lab tests you set in the lab set gets on the order form?

check this thread:

http://www.amazingcharts.com/ub/ubbthreads.php/topics/25002/Order_Sets#Post25002

There isn't instructions on there. vicki said somethign about a custom tab.

This way is working, however is there a way to get it to automatically save the order in the imported itesm under a folder? right now if you write a long PT order or MRI order or CT scan order, it puts all of it in the plan, but the thing you can print looks nice like an official order incase your staff ever needed to prtin and refax or email . . .

i know you can print to pdf and then import it...or you can use updox, but wonder if the order saves anywhere except in the plan?

thanks

ketan

Within the list of AC for labs, I commonly use the Asterisk , preceeding a given lab by * or **, which seems to elevate the order of the said lab, then they are subsequently listed by alphabetical order. This helps with readability within the drop down menus. I also use this technique within the template directory to sort Well child exams, You can also use a _ or a period or other symbol to segregate entries.