Pathlab: Reporting of referral laboratory name

Pathlab laboratories are audited under ISO Standard 15189:2022, which sets requirements for quality and competence. This standard, revised in 2022, adopts a risk-based approach to our quality systems.

Two new clauses were introduced:

• 7.4.1.4 Special considerations for results -  1. When agreed with the user, the results may be reported in a simplified way. Any information listed in clauses 7.4.1.6 and 7.4.1.7 that is not reported to the user shall be readily available.   
• 7.4.1.7 Additional information for reports - c) Identification of all examinations or parts of examinations performed by a referral laboratory, including information provided by consultants, without alteration, as well as the name of the laboratory performing the examinations.

Pathlab primarily report results to GP and community practice management systems (PMS) using HL7 version 2.1, which lacks a specific field to indicate the name of the reporting laboratory for referral tests. Adding this information as text at the end of results could be seen as altering the information received from the referral laboratory.

Their proposed solution is to upgrade their result messaging to HL7 2.4, which includes a standardised field for specifying the referral laboratory. This upgrade requires coordination among their laboratory system, practice management systems, and secure messaging providers.

This notice confirms that by utilising HL7 2.1 messaging to your PMS you have agreed to receive results without the name of the referral laboratory, noting that Pathlab retain this information and will provide it to you on request.

If you wish to provide feedback to Pathlab on this issue, please email support@pathlab.co.nz.