One of Connect Care's expected benefits is freedom from paper; and all the associated supply, mail, fax and storage costs. We've made progress! Already by Wave 3, paper-related expenses are dramatically reduced.
Connect Care clinicians may wonder why outpatient laboratory requisitions are printed when the Connect Care clinical information system supports both the clinician requesting a test and the laboratory performing the test.
In time, we hope to dispense with printed lab reqs altogether. However, until all sites have transitioned to Connect Care, the following considerations can help prescribers ordering outpatient laboratory tests:
- Labs not using Connect Care
- Patients can present to any laboratory in Alberta to have samples drawn and tests performed. Some labs may currently use the Connect Care CIS while others may not.
- Printed reqs provided to outpatients can be considered a protective for patient choice until all labs use Connect Care.
- Labs using Connect Care
- If a patient presents to a laboratory collection site already using the Connect Care CIS, a printed requisition for Connect Care ordered tests is not absolutely necessary.
- With the patient's identity confirmed with government issued identification, laboratory staff can check Connect Care for open laboratory test orders.
- A printed requisition can still be useful because it confirms patient awareness of the tests to be performed at a specific time (note that patients using MyAHS Connect see pending tests in a section called "Upcoming Tests and Procedures").