How can you determine if a patient has an active, unresulted lab order?

How can you determine if a patient has an active, unresulted lab order?

• A. Check the summary of all physician orders
• B. Look in the orders activity under the active tab in the lab section
• C. Review the patient’s chart for any unvisited encounters
• D. Consult the patient’s family for any orders that were missed

Answer: (B)

To determine if a patient has an active, unresulted lab order, the best approach is to examine the orders activity under the active tab in the lab section. This area specifically provides a clear view of all current laboratory orders, including those that have been placed but not yet resulted. By focusing on this section, healthcare professionals can efficiently identify lab tests that are pending results, which is crucial for timely patient care and decision-making. The other options, while they may contain relevant patient information, do not provide the specific insight required for identifying active lab orders. Checking the summary of all physician orders may include various types of orders beyond just lab tests, which might not be helpful in this context. Similarly, reviewing the patient’s chart for unvisited encounters could lead to unnecessary confusion, as it does not directly correlate with lab orders. Consulting the patient’s family could yield some information, but it is often not a reliable method for verifying medical orders, as families may not have access to detailed medical records or current orders.

To determine if a patient has an active, unresulted lab order, the best approach is to examine the orders activity under the active tab in the lab section. This area specifically provides a clear view of all current laboratory orders, including those that have been placed but not yet resulted. By focusing on this section, healthcare professionals can efficiently identify lab tests that are pending results, which is crucial for timely patient care and decision-making.

The other options, while they may contain relevant patient information, do not provide the specific insight required for identifying active lab orders. Checking the summary of all physician orders may include various types of orders beyond just lab tests, which might not be helpful in this context. Similarly, reviewing the patient’s chart for unvisited encounters could lead to unnecessary confusion, as it does not directly correlate with lab orders. Consulting the patient’s family could yield some information, but it is often not a reliable method for verifying medical orders, as families may not have access to detailed medical records or current orders.