How to Cancel Lab or Radiology Order

Quick Answer

If the order hasn't been processed yet, delete it from Clinical Tree → Order Requests. If the lab has already received it, ask the lab to Reject Request with a clear reason. Always re-issue the correct order afterward.

What Problem Does This Solve?

A wrong lab test, radiology request, or procedure was ordered — for example, LFT instead of FBC, chest X-ray instead of abdomen X-ray, or a duplicate test. This guide shows how to cancel or reject the incorrect order and issue the correct one.

Before You Start

Prerequisites

• Access to the patient record with the incorrect order
• Order management permissions on your role
• For lab-side rejection: contact details for the lab or radiology department
• Know the correct test or procedure to re-order

Time-Sensitive

Act quickly. Once a sample is collected or a scan is performed, cancellation becomes significantly more complex and may require incident reporting.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1

Identify the Incorrect Order

Confirm which test was wrongly ordered

1. Open the patient's record.
2. Navigate to Clinical Tree → Order Requests.
3. Review the active orders list.
4. Confirm the incorrect order by checking:
   • Test name against the clinical indication
   • Patient identity (IC + name)
   • Whether a duplicate already exists

Who Can Spot It?

Errors may be detected by the ordering clinician, a nurse or MA during workup, or the lab/radiology department during vetting.

2

Cancel the Order (Clinician-Side)

Best when the lab has not started processing

1. In Order Requests, select the incorrect order.
2. Right-click → Delete.
3. If the system prompts for justification, enter a brief explanation:
   • "Wrong test ordered — need FBC not LFT"
   • "Duplicate order — already ordered earlier today"
   • "Ordered on wrong patient"
4. Confirm deletion.

Use This Method When

• You catch the error immediately after ordering
• The order hasn't been sent to the lab or radiology yet
• The lab has not started processing

3

Reject the Request (Lab or Radiology-Side)

Use when the order has already been sent to the department

For lab technicians or radiology staff:

1. Open the Order Request Overview module.
2. Enter the patient's IC number to locate the request.
3. Identify the test under Test Name.
4. Right-click → Reject Request.
5. Select the rejection reason:
   • "Wrong test requested"
   • "Duplicate order"
   • "Ordered on wrong patient"
6. Confirm rejection.

Coordination

Lab staff should contact the ordering clinician to confirm the rejection and request the correct order.

4

Re-Issue the Correct Order

Place the accurate test or procedure request

1. Verify patient identity (IC + name).
2. Open the correct patient record.
3. Navigate to the appropriate order entry:
   • Lab: Clinical Tree → Order → Laboratory
   • Radiology: Clinical Tree → Order → Radiology
4. Select the correct test or procedure.
5. Complete the order details:
   • Clinical indication
   • Priority (urgent or routine)
   • Special instructions if needed
6. Double-check all fields before submitting.
7. Inform the patient of the correct test to be done.

Result

The incorrect order is cancelled or rejected with a full audit trail. The correct order is now active.

Troubleshooting

Sample has already been collected

Cause: The wrong test was ordered and the patient has already had blood drawn or imaging performed.

Solution:

1. Inform the patient immediately.
2. Assess whether the sample or images need to be discarded.
3. Document the incident in the patient's journal.
4. Inform your supervisor if clinical risk is involved.
5. Complete an incident report if required by clinic policy.
6. Re-order the correct test and obtain patient consent if a repeat is needed.

Cannot delete the order — it is locked

Cause: The order has advanced to a status that blocks clinician deletion (e.g., verified by lab, or already resulted).

Solution:

1. Contact the lab or radiology department to reject the request instead.
2. If results have already been generated, contact your supervisor and ICTSO.
3. Document the incorrect order and the correct test needed in the patient journal.

Duplicate orders keep appearing

Cause: Multiple staff members may be ordering without checking existing orders, or the order set is generating duplicates.

Solution:

1. Always review recent orders before placing a new one.
2. Check the Order Requests node for active or pending tests.
3. If using order sets, verify each item individually before confirming.
4. Communicate with the team during handovers about pending investigations.