> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bizaxl.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Home Blood Tests
> How to order a blood test during a home visit, track the sample collection, enter results, and approve them before sharing with the patient.
One of the most valued home care services is the ability to collect blood samples at the patient's home and have them tested at a laboratory. The patient does not need to travel to a clinic. The nurse or lab technician does everything at home. This page explains how blood tests are ordered, tracked, and reported through the system.
***
## Before You Start
* Lab Test Templates must be set up for each type of test your service offers.
* You need the **Healthcare Practitioner** role to order a blood test.
* A **Laboratory User** role is needed to enter test results.
* A **LabTest Approver** role is needed to approve results before they are shared with the patient.
***
## Setting Up Lab Test Templates
The administrator sets up a template for each type of blood test you offer.
1. Go to Home Care workspace (or Healthcare workspace) → Laboratory Setup section → **Lab Test Template** → New
| Field | What to Enter |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Lab Test Template Name | Name of the test (e.g., "Blood Glucose (Fasting)", "Full Blood Count", "HbA1c", "Kidney Function Test") |
| Lab Test Group | Group of tests if this is part of a panel |
| Billing Item | The fee item linked to this test |
| Sample | Type of sample needed (Venous Blood, Capillary Blood, Urine) |
| Normal Range | What result values are considered normal |
| Lab Test Description | What the test measures and why it is done |
The system currently has one template set up:
* **Blood level test** - in the Laboratory item group
You can add more as needed for common home care tests like:
* Blood Glucose (Fasting)
* Full Blood Count (CBC)
* HbA1c (3-month average blood sugar for diabetics)
* Kidney Function Test (Urea, Creatinine, Electrolytes)
* Thyroid Function Test (TSH)
* Liver Function Test
* Lipid Profile (Cholesterol)
* Complete Urine Analysis
***
## Step 1: Ordering a Blood Test
A doctor orders a blood test during a home visit (from within the Patient Encounter).
1. Open the Patient Encounter
2. Go to the **Service Requests** or Investigations section
3. Click Add and select the test template
4. Save the encounter
This creates a Service Request (the order) and a Lab Test record in the system.
Alternatively, order directly:
1. Go to Home Care workspace → Orders section → **Service Request** → New
2. Link to the patient and select the template
3. Save
***
## Step 2: Scheduling the Sample Collection
Once the blood test is ordered, a lab technician needs to be scheduled to visit the patient and collect the sample.
**Option A: Same Visit**
If the lab technician is the same person doing the home visit, they collect the sample during the same appointment and take it to the lab.
**Option B: Separate Lab Collection Visit**
If a separate lab technician does the collection:
1. Book a new Patient Appointment for the collection visit
2. Assign the lab technician as the practitioner
3. Link the appointment to the lab test order in the notes
The lab technician visits the patient, collects the blood sample following standard collection protocols (sterile needle, correct collection tubes, labelled clearly with the patient's name and date), and transports the sample to the laboratory.
***
## Step 3: Entering the Results
When the laboratory processes the sample and sends back the results:
1. Open the Lab Test record (from the patient record, or by searching for the patient's name in the Lab Test list)
2. Enter the result values in the results section
3. Save the record
| Field | What to Enter |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Result | The numerical or descriptive result for each test parameter |
| Normal Range | Shown next to each result so you can see at a glance if the result is in range |
| Comments | Lab's own comments if any |
***
## Step 4: Approving the Results
Before the result can be shared with the patient (printed or sent by SMS), a clinician must review and approve it.
1. The user with the **LabTest Approver** role opens the Lab Test record
2. Reviews each result and considers its clinical significance
3. Clicks **Approve** in the record
After approval:
* The result status changes to Approved
* An SMS is automatically sent to the patient: "Your blood test result from \[Company Name] is ready. Your doctor will discuss the findings at your next visit."
**Why approval is required:** Releasing blood test results to a patient without clinical review can cause unnecessary alarm or confusion. The approval step ensures a clinician has looked at the results and is prepared to discuss them with the patient.
***
## Step 5: Discussing Results with the Patient
At the next home visit, the doctor:
1. Opens the Lab Test record and reviews the approved results
2. Discusses the findings with the patient in plain language
3. Documents the patient's response and any changes to treatment in the visit record
For example:
* "Your blood sugar this month is 8.2 mmol/L. That is a little high. We will increase your metformin to twice daily and check again in 4 weeks."
* "Your kidney function is normal. Keep drinking water and continue the same medicines."
***
## Common Home Care Blood Tests and What They Show
| Test | What It Checks | Who Needs It Regularly |
| ------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Blood Glucose (Fasting) | Blood sugar level | Diabetic patients |
| HbA1c | Average blood sugar over 3 months | Diabetic patients |
| Full Blood Count (CBC) | Red cells, white cells, platelets | Patients with infections, anaemia, or cancer |
| Urea and Creatinine (Kidney Function) | How well the kidneys are working | Patients on strong medicines, kidney disease |
| TSH (Thyroid) | Thyroid hormone level | Patients with thyroid conditions |
| INR / PT | Blood clotting time | Patients on Warfarin (blood thinner) |
| Lipid Profile | Cholesterol levels | Patients with heart disease or high cholesterol |
| Liver Function Test | Liver health | Patients on long-term medicines, liver disease |
| Urine Routine Examination | Infection, kidney function | Patients with urinary problems |
***
## Field Guide: Lab Test
| Field | What It Contains |
| ----------------------- | -------------------------------------------------- |
| Patient | The patient having the test |
| Lab Test Template | Type of test ordered |
| Healthcare Practitioner | The doctor who ordered the test |
| Date | Date the test was ordered |
| Request Date | Date the sample should be collected |
| Sample | Type of sample (blood, urine) |
| Status | Draft → Submitted → Approved |
| Result | Values for each test parameter |
| Approved By | The clinician who reviewed and approved the result |
| Invoiced | Ticked when a bill has been created |
***
## Best Practices
* Always link the blood test order to the Patient Encounter where it was requested so the visit record is complete
* For diabetic patients, always order HbA1c (3-month sugar average) alongside the monthly fasting glucose check - a single glucose reading can be misleading, but HbA1c shows the longer-term trend
* For patients on Warfarin, INR results need to be checked regularly (usually monthly) and the result reviewed by the doctor before any invasive procedure is done at the patient's home
* Never share a result with the patient before it has been approved by the clinician - even if the patient asks, explain that the doctor needs to review it first
***
## Troubleshooting
**The blood test result is not appearing in the patient's history timeline**
The Lab Test may still be in Draft or Submitted status but not yet Approved. Only Approved lab tests appear in the patient portal and history timeline.
**The lab technician collected the wrong sample (wrong tube)**
Contact the laboratory immediately. A new collection may be needed. Note the error in the Lab Test record as a comment and reschedule the collection.
**The patient says they were not told their result was ready**
Check that the patient's mobile number is correct on their Patient record, and check that Lab Test Approval Notification is enabled in Care Settings.
***
## Related Features
* [Home Visit Record](/health-wellness/homecare-services/home-visit): Blood tests are ordered from within the visit encounter
* [Patient Monitoring](/health-wellness/homecare-services/patient-monitoring): Blood test results complement observation data in tracking patient health
* [Billing and Finance](/health-wellness/homecare-services/billing-finance): Lab tests are billed as separate line items
* [Care Settings](/health-wellness/homecare-services/care-settings): Lab test approval notification settings