Reviewing and matching results

Use the Documents and Results iconDocuments and Results > Investigation Results tab to review automatically matched incoming patient results, match requests to results, and match results manually to a patient that couldn't be matched automatically.

The pathology lab software sends results for download every hour or so. Results are imported by Communicare within a minute of being downloaded.

Communicare can display results in the following formats:
  • PDF
  • HTML
  • Text
Results may be received in more than one format and you can choose to display the results in your preferred format. By default, the PDF is displayed if received. If only HTML and Text are received, the HTML is displayed by default.
Tip: If only the name of the request or the following error is displayed, Communicare does not support the format in which the result was sent: 
No supported result format (plain text or PDF) sent by investigation provider
Contact the laboratory and ask them to send the results again in a text or PDF format.
Communicare automatically attempts to match results to patients when the results are received. The patient is determined by looking for a unique match based on the following criteria, in the stated order:
  1. Medicare number (prefix), date of birth and sex
  2. Preferred surname (exact), preferred given names (prefix), date of birth and sex
  3. Any surname soundex, any given names soundex, date of birth and sex
Note: Changes to biographics after the result is received, but before it is reviewed are not considered.

The matched patient is approved by a clinician when reviewing the result. Results can be reviewed in the Match and Review Results window or from the patient's clinical record.

If Communicare is unable to match a result to a patient, the results must be reviewed and matched manually. Similarly, any requests with the same reference number as the result are listed in the Match and Review Results window for manual matching.

To match a result to a patient:
  1. In the Documents and Results iconDocuments and Results window, on the Investigation Results tab, double-click a result.
    Tip: To filter the results, set filter information above the table. For example, to review requests made by you, from the Provider list, select your name. For more information, see Filtering documents and results.

    If the result is available in more than one format, select your preferred display format from the list.

    Results are displayed in the left pane and the patient and request information in the right pane. Any qualifiers associated with the results are displayed in the lower left pane.


    Example Match and Review Result window with text result

    If a time zone is provided in the result sent by the lab, the time is converted to local time. If no time zone is provided, the time included in the result is used verbatim.

  2. If the result has been matched to the correct patient, go to step 4. Otherwise, match the result to a patient:
    1. In the Match and Review Result window, click Search Biographics iconMatch Patient.
    2. In the Select Patient window, search for the patient to whom the result might apply by name, date of birth or Medicare number. If you cannot find the patient, add the patient to the database as a Transient Patient so that you can review the result. Click New Patient and add the patient as normal. The patient details are inserted automatically into the pathology results
  3. In the request list, match the result to a request:
    • Select all requests that apply to this result. You may select more than one request if the result contains data for more than one request. You may also select a request that has previously been matched to another result if this result is subsequent to that initial result.
    • If the investigation was not requested using Communicare, select There is no request for this result.
    • If the lab has not returned the reference number sent with the request, unmatched requests from the past six months are listed. Change the filter to All to display all past requests with a status of either Matched (the request has been matched to at least one result) or Pending (the request has not yet been matched to a result).
  4. Review the results, either:
    • Continue to review the results here:
      1. Set Match.
      2. Set Review Result.
      3. Check that your encounter place and mode are correct.
      4. If you requested the investigation, set Requester reviewed, otherwise, from the Reviewed by list, select your name. A date is added to the appropriate field and the result changes status to Reviewed.
      5. If the investigation results in a diagnosis, from the Diagnosis list, select a diagnosis.
      6. If the patient has been notified of the results, in the Patient notified at field, add the date when they were notified.
      7. To add a recall for the patient, click Recall buttonAdd Recall and complete the recall information. See Recalls for more information.
      8. The status of the investigation result is imported from the pathology file, but you can also update the status manually. To update the status, from the Status list, select the required status.
      9. In the Comments field, enter any further information.
    • Review the results in the patient's clinical record instead:
      1. Set Match.
      2. Click OK & Open Clinical Record.
      3. Complete steps b-i above.
  5. If you want to check when the patient's last or next appointment is, click Services iconServices.
    Tip: You can also book another appointment for the patient: in the Service List window displayed, click Book Appointment iconBook Appointment.
  6. Click Save. Alternatively, click OK Prior or OK Next to review the previous or next result.

After a result is matched to a patient, you can review it in the patient's clinical record.

On the Detail > Ix Result tab, unreviewed results are highlighted:
Unreviewed Ix results
After you have reviewed the result, it is listed on the Detail > Ix Result tab prefixed with <Reviewed>:
  • To display a summary of the investigation in the right pane, select it in the result list in the left pane
  • To open a result, double-click Investigation Result or right-click the result and select Edit Investigation Result

If you didn't select all requests associated with the result, requests that are not marked as having had the result received will stay on the report for outstanding requests, Report > Investigations > Outstanding Requests by Provider.

You can short list a number of clinical items recallable from the Match and Review Result window. Ask your administrator to assign the keyword $IxRecall to the required items.

Reviewing and inserting result qualifiers

If an investigation request matched to this result is known to have certain qualifiers associated with it, these qualifiers will be linked through to the investigation result. This allows qualifiers that were automatically imported (via LOINC codes) to be reviewed while reviewing the result itself.

The most recent value recorded previously in Communicare for a qualifier is displayed. After you have reviewed the results Click Chart iconPrevious Measurements to display all previous values.

Numeric and true/false qualifiers are supported. Numeric qualifiers receive the numeric value coded by the laboratory in the result. True/false qualifiers receive the Abnormal flag coded by the laboratory in the result. This means that the qualifier will record whether the lab declared the result to be abnormal, not the actual text returned by the lab.

Qualifiers that were automatically imported will be pre-filled. This means that they can be modified if absolutely necessary. Qualifiers that could not be pre-filled but are still returned in the result can be inserted.

Any OnQualifier recall rules will fire when the reviewed result is saved.

Adding a manual result

Manual results, for example, results returned in paper format or verbally can also be recorded in Communicare for an existing request.

Tip: Add a new request if one doesn't exist, see Investigation Requests. If you can't find a test name, choose Pathology test not otherwise specified with the keyword PATH. Ensure that Print is deselected and save.
To record a result manually:
  1. On the Detail > Ix Request tab, right-click the request to which you want to add a result and select Add Manual Investigation Result.
  2. In the confirmation window, click Yes.
  3. In the Match and Review result window, in the left pane, enter the results.
  4. Set Review Result and provide any other information required, such as from the Status list, select Interim.
  5. A comment of Manual investigation result is included in the Comments field. Add more information if required.
  6. Click Save and Yes.

The result is listed on the Detail > Ix Result tab prefixed with <Reviewed> and a comment of Manual investigation result.