Pathlab has seen increasing instances of STI associated e-ordering leading to incorrect specimen collected, incorrect testing, and the need for specimen recollects. Investigation has shown the underlying causes to be multifactorial but one of the primary causes has been the inability to request chlamydia / gonorrhoea / trichomonas testing from multiple body sites at the same time.
After consultation with colleagues in sexual health clinics and the community, Pathlab is introducing a new STI Screening tab on the e-ordering system. This tab is predominantly focused on patients requiring STI screening as opposed to being for STI symptomatic testing but tests on this tab can still be used in this setting. You will need to use existing tabs for other Microbiology tests in symptomatic patients, e.g. vaginal swab for BV/Thrush.
It should be noted chlamydia / gonorrhoea / trichomonas has been removed from the Common, Microbiology, Antenatal, and Cervical Screening tabs, you must go to the STI Screening tab to request these STI tests.
The changes to e-ordering came into effect Wednesday 7 August. Pathlab will be monitoring these changes and welcome your feedback. Further development will be performed if required. Please send feedback to Murray Robinson.
Annually, thousands of youth in communities across the Waikato region struggle to access health care services, restricted by barriers such as cost, lack of transport and fear of talking to a health care professional.
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