Lab / Imaging Technician: daily workflow

What this section covers

This guide walks you through a typical day in Usystems as a lab or imaging technician — from logging in and reviewing test orders, through processing specimens or images, to uploading and validating results.

Before you start

• You have a login and password (provided by your lab/imaging manager).
• You understand the core task: receive test orders, process specimens or images, upload results, and notify doctors.
• You have read access to patient information (name, ID, date of birth) to verify identity.
• You have write access to test orders and results (to update status and upload results).

Steps

1. Log in and view your lab or imaging dashboard

Go to the lab or imaging login page.
Open in Usystems

Enter your username and password, then click Sign In. You'll land on your lab or imaging dashboard, which shows an overview of incoming test orders and recent results.

2. Check your incoming test order queue

Go to Lab (for lab tests) or Imaging (for imaging) from the left-hand menu.
Open in Usystems or Open in Usystems

You'll see a list of test orders waiting to be processed, sorted by most recent first. Each order shows:

• Patient name and date of birth
• Test type (e.g., "Complete Blood Count," "Chest X-ray," "Ultrasound")
• Clinical indication (what the doctor is investigating)
• Doctor's name (who ordered it)
• Status (e.g., "pending," "in progress," "completed")
• Order date and time (when it was submitted)

3. Select the first test order

Click on the first pending test order. The order details open. You'll see:

• All the information above, plus
• Sample type (for lab: blood, urine, stool, etc.; for imaging: body area)
• Special instructions (if the doctor added any notes)

Verify the patient identity. Check the name and date of birth against your specimen label or patient ID bracelet. If anything doesn't match, stop and ask your manager before proceeding.

4. Update the status to "in progress"

Click Update Status or Mark as In Progress. The system now shows that you've started processing this test. This tells the doctor that the test is underway and they should expect results soon.

5. Process the specimen or image

For lab tests:

• Receive the labeled specimen (blood tube, urine cup, stool sample, etc.).
• Run it through your analyzer or perform the manual test.
• Collect the result (numerical values, qualitative findings, or a report PDF).

For imaging:

• Verify the patient's identity and confirm the body area or imaging type.
• Position the patient and run the scan (X-ray, ultrasound, CT, etc.).
• Capture the image(s) in the system or save them to a file ready for upload.

Throughout this step, track time and status in Usystems if your system supports it (e.g., mark "specimen received," then "test running," etc.).

6. Review the result for accuracy and completeness

Before uploading, check your work:

• Is the result readable and complete? (For imaging: are all images captured? For lab: are all values present?)
• Is the patient ID correct? (Double-check against the order.)
• Are there any obvious errors or anomalies? (If something looks wrong, rerun or recapture.)
• Do you have all the data? (Patient name, test type, values, date/time, your name.)

If anything is incomplete or incorrect, fix it now before uploading.

7. Upload the result to Usystems

Go back to the test order in the Lab or Imaging section. Click Upload Result or Attach Result.

For lab tests: Upload the result file (PDF report, spreadsheet, or structured data — ask your manager what format is expected).

For imaging: Upload the image file(s) (DICOM, JPEG, PNG, etc., depending on your imaging equipment).

Add any notes or comments (e.g., "Patient slightly anxious during ultrasound," "Results on first attempt without repeat," etc.). Click Save or Upload.

8. Validate the upload

Once uploaded, verify the upload is complete:

• Click on the result in the system and confirm you can see it (for images: the image displays; for lab reports: the PDF or data is readable).
• If the upload failed or is incomplete, try again.

9. Mark the test as "completed"

Once the result is verified and readable in the system, click Mark as Complete or Finalize Result. The system now:

• Marks the test as complete in the doctor's dashboard.
• Notifies the doctor that the result is ready.
• Makes the result available to the patient (depending on your clinic's settings).

10. Repeat for the next test order

Return to your test order queue. The completed test is now off the list. Select the next pending test and repeat steps 3–9.

Tips & common mistakes

• Always verify patient identity before processing. Check the name and date of birth against the specimen label or ID. Patient safety depends on correct matching.
• Don't upload a result you're not confident in. If something looks odd, rerun the test or recapture the image. It's better to delay a result than to upload an error.
• Check the result format expected by your lab/imaging manager. Different clinics may want different file formats (PDF, Excel, DICOM, JPEG, etc.). Ask ahead of time.
• Keep the specimen or image file until the result is uploaded and validated. Once the system confirms the upload is readable, you can discard the original.
• If a specimen is damaged, mislabeled, or missing, stop and alert your manager. Don't process it. Reorder or recapture instead.
• Document any issues in the test notes. If a patient moved during imaging, or a sample was diluted, add a note so the doctor knows the context.