Approve Lab Orders
Review lab orders held before they reach the lab. Release, change the lab, or cancel and refund the patient.
This page shows you how to review lab orders that are held before they go to the lab. You do this as a Client Admin.
A held lab order waits for your check. You can send it on, switch it to a different lab, or cancel it and refund the patient.
Before you start
You need:
Lab-order review turned on for your organization
At least 1 lab order held for your review
Who turns it on: Your provider network (the licensed doctors who review orders and prescribe) turns lab-order review on. You do not.
Time: About 1 to 2 minutes per held order. Check the queue every day.
Do not see any held lab orders? Lab-order review is turned on per organization, and only your provider network can turn it on. If you never see a held lab order, it is not on for you. Ask your network contact. Labs must also be set up first — see Set Up Labs.
Review a held lab order
Open the Orders page
In the left menu, click Orders. You land on the Orders page. Lab reviews happen here. There is no separate lab-review page.
Filter to lab orders
Above the table, set the type filter to Lab. The list now shows only lab orders. Find the one that is held for your review.
Open the review window
Click the held lab order. A window titled Review lab order opens. It says the lab is held for your review before it is sent to the lab.
Check the order first
Click View full order. Check the patient, the lab test, and the payment. Go back to the review window when you are done.
Choose one action
At the bottom of the review window, pick Release to lab, Change order, or Cancel lab. The table updates after you act. The three choices are explained below.
A held order stops until you act. It does not reach the lab on its own. If you leave it, the patient waits with no error message. Clear the held queue every day.
Your three choices
| Button | What it does | Pick it when |
|---|---|---|
| Release to lab | Sends the order to the lab. | The order is correct and should go ahead. |
| Change order | Lets you pick a different lab, then click Place lab order. | The test is right but the lab should be different. |
| Cancel lab | Opens Confirm cancel & refund. Cancels the order and refunds the patient. | The order is wrong or a duplicate. |
Cancelling refunds the patient. The Cancel lab button uses Confirm cancel & refund. So the patient gets their money back when you cancel a held lab order.
After you release
A released order follows the normal lab path. It is sent to the lab, results come back, then a provider reviews them. Your staff track that side. See Lab Results.
Words to know
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Hold (held order) | An order waiting for you to review or act before it continues. |
| Refund | Send money back to the patient after a charge has settled. |
| Provider network | The medical team that employs the doctors who review your patients. You partner with one; you do not hire the doctors yourself. |
Common questions
Where do I turn lab review on?
You do not turn it on. Your provider network does.
- Lab-order review is set per organization.
- Only your provider network can switch it on.
- If you never see a held lab order, ask your network contact.
What is the difference between held and pending payment?
A hold waits on you. Pending payment waits on the patient.
- Held means you still need to review and release it.
- Pending payment means the patient has not paid yet.
- The status on each order tells you which one you are looking at.
Can my staff release a held lab order?
No. This is admin work.
- Releasing, changing, and cancelling held lab orders is for Client Admins.
- Staff can see the status and flag a stuck hold.
Does cancelling a held lab order refund the patient?
Yes. The refund is built in.
- The Cancel lab button opens Confirm cancel & refund.
- The patient gets their money back when you confirm.
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