University of Virginia Health System

REQUESTING LABORATORY SERVICES

1. INPATIENTS (MIS)

All requests for inpatient Clinical Pathology Laboratory testing must be requested via a Medical Information System (MIS) terminal using applicable laboratory pathways.  The properly labeled specimen and MIS generated transmittal sheet should be sent to the laboratory receiving area (Tube station 711).  Questions concerning training in the use of MIS pathways should be directed to the MIS Project Office.

In the event of MIS downtime, requests should be submitted on MIS Downtime forms.  Forms are available through Standard Register. These requests must be legible with the patient's full name, history number, date and time the specimen was collected, the requesting doctor's name (last, first) or PIC #, and the test(s) desired.  This downtime form and the properly labeled specimen should be tubed to the laboratory receiving area.  The Medical Laboratories request that ordering be kept to a minimum during MIS downtimes. 

Anatomic Pathology services (Surgical Pathology, Cytology and Neuropathology) and Cytogenetic Studies cannot be ordered in the MIS system. These services require the use of the appropriate laboratory request form. Surgical Pathology and Neuropathology specimens are submitted using the Surgical Pathology Request Form. Cytology specimens are submitted using the Cytopathology Request Form. Cytogenetics Studies are submitted using the Cytogenetic Request Form.

2.   OUTPATIENTS (UVA Laboratory Forms or CareCast) 

Outpatients of the UVA Health System must be registered and assigned an episodic account number for the same day of service that laboratory testing is requested. Patients or patient's specimens which are not registered at a clinic site or who are referred by physicians from outside of the UVA Health System and who have not been registered into the UVA Registration System, must be submitted with appropriate patient registration and insurance billing information.

OUTPATIENT TEST REQUESTS 

Outpatient lab orders may be placed one of two ways. Clinics that have CareCast available should place orders through this system. For clinics that do not have CareCast yet the outpatient laboratory test request forms are available through UVA Printing and Copying Services. There is no charge for obtaining these forms. The Clinical Pathology Laboratory Request Form (Bin #33215) should be used for ordering most clinical laboratory tests. Other approved UVA lab forms are:  AFP Pregnancy Form (Bin #33386), Microbiology Request Form (Bin #33211), Clinical Laboratory Consult Form (Bin #33511), Laboratory Test Request Form for Grants (Bin #33517) Surgical Pathology Request Form (Bin #33008), Cytopathology Request Form (Bin #33095), Cytogentic Studies, please call 924-5184.