How to Manage Laboratory Appointments in Ubik

Laboratory work is more useful when the order, sample, results, interpretation, documents, and receipt all stay connected to the appointment. Ubik keeps lab panels inside the clinical workflow so technicians can enter results, doctors can review the evaluation, and reception can print or send the report from the same appointment context.

This guide walks through the laboratory workflow from two sides:

  • Technician or doctor side: create or open the laboratory appointment, enter panels, use presets or document extraction, review AI evaluation when enabled, and save the report.
  • Reception side: find the lab appointment, print labels or reports, send documents, and continue to payment when needed.

Technician or Doctor Workflow

1. Create or Open the Laboratory Appointment

Create the appointment as you normally would, but set the appointment type to Laboratory. Add the customer, pet, appointment date, assignee, and any private notes that explain the lab request.

Laboratory appointments can also be created as linked appointments from another workflow. For example, a hospitalization, surgery, or consult may need an in-house lab panel. Linked lab appointments keep the results connected to the original clinical case.

2. Move the Appointment Through the Workflow

Laboratory appointments use the standard clinical flow:

  1. Waiting
  2. Serving
  3. Pending discharge
  4. Payment

Move the appointment to Serving when the lab work starts. Use Pending discharge only if the lab is clinically done but the appointment still needs an owner handoff or checkout step.

3. Enter Lab Panels

In the New Technician Portal, laboratory appointments show a Lab Results section. Use the lab panel to capture:

  • Panel name
  • Sample type
  • Method
  • Order number
  • Panel-level flags
  • Analytes
  • Results
  • Units
  • Reference ranges
  • Result flags
  • Row notes
  • Overall evaluation

Add one panel for each distinct report area. For example, chemistry and CBC can be separate panels, and rapid tests can use their own panel.

4. Use Presets for Common Tests

Use Apply preset when the clinic is entering a common lab format. Presets can create the panel rows for common tests so the team does not retype the same analytes every time.

Examples include rapid/SNAP-style panels, vector-borne disease tests, FeLV/FIV, parvo/corona, Giardia, distemper, wellness profiles, and other common lab panels.

After applying a preset, review the analytes, sample type, method, results, units, reference ranges, and notes before saving.

5. Use Document Extraction When Results Come From a File

If a result arrives as a document, image, or PDF, upload it to the appointment and use document extraction from the lab panel. Ubik can help read the uploaded result and map the extracted data into the panel.

Always review extracted results before saving. OCR and AI extraction are helpers, not a replacement for clinical review.

6. Add Supporting Documents and Images

Use the Documents area for:

  • External lab result PDFs
  • Microscope images
  • Rapid test photos
  • Cytology or urinalysis images
  • Referral documents
  • Owner-facing result attachments

Image documents can print on laboratory receipts, with filenames shown as small captions. This is useful for microscope images, cytology images, and other visual evidence that should travel with the report.

7. Run AI Lab Evaluation When Enabled

If AI is enabled for the account, open the quick actions menu and use the lab assistant to prepare an AI lab evaluation. The AI review can use the appointment context and the entered lab panel values to draft an interpretation.

Use the AI output as review support. The doctor should still verify the findings, clinical relevance, differential considerations, and treatment direction before sharing the final report.

8. Use Supplemental Forms When the Lab Needs Structured Context

Some lab work needs more than a numeric panel. Use supplemental forms when the result is better represented as a structured form, such as:

  • General Health
  • Urinalysis
  • Skin scraping
  • Coproparasitic exam
  • Mass localization
  • Dental or ophthalmic context
  • General evaluation notes

Supplemental forms can be opened from the appointment and printed or sent through the same document flow.

Reception Workflow

1. Find the Laboratory Appointment

In the New Reception Portal, open the appointment from the active queue, appointment list, or linked appointment context. If the appointment was created from another workflow, keep the linked appointment relationship intact so the clinical and billing context stays together.

2. Print Crate Labels When Needed

Laboratory appointments support crate labels from the print menu. Use labels when the sample, patient carrier, or physical paperwork needs to stay tied to the appointment.

This is especially useful when several samples are being processed at the same time.

3. Print or Send the Lab Report

Use Print lab report when the result is ready. The lab report can include saved lab panels, evaluations, specialty form sections, and attached image documents.

If the customer should receive the result, use the available document send actions so the customer receives a public report link or attachment through the configured communication flow.

4. Confirm Charges Before Payment

Before payment, confirm the expected lab services, products, and charges are present. Some lab appointments are standalone; others are linked to consults, hospitalizations, or surgeries.

If a lab charge belongs to a parent appointment or discharge flow, keep that relationship clear before checkout.

5. Continue to Payment

When the lab appointment is ready for checkout, continue to payment from the reception workflow. Review the charges, quantities, discounts, and total before collecting payment.

Best Practices

  • Use Laboratory as the appointment type so lab panels, lab report printing, and lab labels are available.
  • Use linked appointments when lab work belongs to another clinical case.
  • Separate distinct result areas into separate panels.
  • Use presets for repeatable panels, but review every generated row.
  • Upload original result files and images to Documents for audit and printing.
  • Review OCR or AI extracted results before saving.
  • Use AI lab evaluation as a draft review aid, not the final clinical decision.
  • Print or send the lab report only after the saved panel and evaluation are ready.
  • Keep lab charges connected to the appointment or linked workflow that should be billed.

Laboratory workflows are easier to trust when the sample, results, interpretation, documents, and receipt all stay connected. Ubik gives the clinical and reception teams one place to manage that path from request to report.