Pathology Lab Software Set-up Checklist and Mistakes

Switching a lab to software is mostly a data and discipline project. If the test catalogue, ranges and report layouts are right on day one and the staff know their roles, the rest is routine. If they are not, the system will faithfully produce wrong or confusing reports. Use the checklist below to prepare, and read the mistakes at the end.

1. Clean your test catalogue

Export or write out every test you offer. For each, record the exact name, short code, category or department, sample type, container, price, turnaround time and whether it is reported alone or in a profile. Remove duplicates and old tests. Standardise names so that the same test is not listed three ways.

• Profiles: list the tests included, in report order.
• Packages: set the package price and what it covers.
• Outsourced tests: mark those sent to another lab, with the partner and price.

2. Reference ranges, units and comments

Your pathologist should supply, in writing, the units, reference ranges and any age or sex splits for each test, plus standard comment text. Ask them to check the final entries in the system as well. Nobody else should edit these after go-live without a log entry. Treat this as the single most important step.

3. Report layouts

Bring your current printed reports. Decide on letterhead, logo, address, registration or licence numbers you wish to show, signature images and footer text. Check page size and printer. Decide how long profiles break across pages and whether to print Nepali headings. Print test samples and have the pathologist approve the look.

4. Labels and printers

Choose a label printer and label size. Decide what appears on each label: sample number, barcode, patient name, age and sex, test codes and date. Print a test sheet and scan the barcode with the device you plan to use. If you do not have a scanner, make sure that typing the number is fast and unambiguous.

5. Staff roles

Role	Typical permissions
Front desk	Register, bill, print receipt and labels, release verified reports
Collector	View orders, mark collected, record rejection
Technician	Enter results for their department
Senior technician	Verify results, handle repeats
Pathologist	Sign off reports, edit ranges and comments
Owner or accounts	Reports, referrals, user management

Everyone gets a personal login. Shared logins hide who did what.

6. Referrers and centres

List doctors, clinics and collection centres you work with. Enter agreed rules for commission or centre rates only after confirming them in writing with each party. Leave out any arrangement you cannot document.

7. Opening data

Decide what to import. Past patient lists help with search, while old reports can stay in their present form and be added slowly. Bring in outstanding balances of credit accounts, and opening stock of reagents with expiry dates if you track them.

8. Training and parallel run

Train each role on test patients, including unusual cases: rejected sample, repeat test, amended report, refund and credit bill. Then run the system alongside your old method for a short time. Compare reports on both sides for the same samples. Resolve every difference before you stop the old method. Include night shift staff, if you have them.

9. Backup and recovery

1. Decide how often backups run and where they are stored.
2. Keep one copy off site.
3. Name the person who checks the backup each day.
4. Test a restore on a spare computer before you need it.

10. Report release rules

Write a one-page rule for who may collect a report and how identity is checked, how reports are sent by phone and to whom, and how long reports are kept. This protects patients, and staff will feel more confident when a relative or a doctor asks for a copy.

Common mistakes

• Importing messy names. "Hb", "Haemoglobin" and "HB%" in one catalogue lead to confusing reports and statistics.
• Typing ranges from memory. Always use the pathologist's signed list.
• Skipping verification. The step feels slow at first but catches slips.
• No label discipline. Labels must be printed and stuck in front of the patient.
• Everyone can edit anything. Limit edit rights to a few trusted people.
• Forgetting to test the printed report. Margins, fonts and Nepali text all need a trial.
• No plan for outages. Keep paper request forms ready for a bad day.

After go-live

In the first month, review a sample of reports each week for errors and look at pending and delayed samples. Ask the front desk what patients complain about. Adjust turnaround times in the catalogue to match reality. Consider adding SMS or WhatsApp notices for report-ready messages through bulk messaging software once the basic flow is stable.

Next step

Begin with your catalogue and the pathologist's ranges this week; they take the longest. WebsNP loads them into our pathology lab software and builds the report layouts with you. If your lab sits inside a larger facility, ask also about hospital management software. Message +977 9846280400 on WhatsApp to start.

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