Sample Collection and Barcode Labels for Pathology Labs
A barcode on each container links the tube to the patient and the tests. Nobody at the bench has to read a name written in marker. The label also tells the phlebotomist which tube to draw, which matters when one patient needs four containers for a single morning’s set of tests.
One barcode per container
When an order is saved, the system works out which containers are needed. A CBC needs an EDTA tube, a sugar test a fluoride tube, and most biochemistry a plain or gel tube. A label prints for each one.
Rejected samples
A sample can arrive haemolysed, clotted, short in quantity or in the wrong tube. Accession staff mark it rejected with the reason. A recollection is then booked against the same order, and the patient or centre is told.
Receiving at the lab
Samples from home visits and partner centres are scanned in when they reach the lab. Anything collected but not yet received shows on a list, which is where a missing box gets noticed early.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need a special printer?
A barcode label printer is needed for tube labels. The model is confirmed with the lab during set-up.
Can one tube serve two tests?
Yes. Where the lab runs several tests from one container, they share one barcode.
Can a centre print its own labels?
Yes, if it has a label printer. Otherwise it writes the order number and the lab labels the tubes on receipt.
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