More ARUP Tests Will Display Flags for Results Outside the Expected Test Values or Reference Ranges

In many cases, when a laboratory test result is outside the expected or normal range for that test, a flag will be added to the result. The patient’s result may be flagged as critically high (C), high (H), low (L), or abnormal (*). Flags merely indicate a laboratory test outcome; the significance of a flagged result depends on the clinical context, which only the patient’s clinician or care provider knows.

Several of ARUP’s tests report with flags. In response to requests from our clients, ARUP is adding flags to more test results.It is critical that physicians review all test results, not just those that a laboratory has labeled as abnormal, high, low, or critical. Even a nonflagged result may indicate a significant change in a patient’s status.

If you have questions regarding this matter, please contact Becky Chesnut, technical writer for Charting.

• Download list of tests to which result flags WILL BE added (March–May 2011).
• Download list of tests to which result flags were added (October–December 2010).