Automated sample status updates for staff and patients

Purpose

1.1. Automate the updates of sample status for both internal staff and patients, reducing manual intervention.
1.2. Automatically notify stakeholders when a sample is received, under processing, tested, or results released.
1.3. Ensure real-time transparency and minimize human error in status communication.
1.4. Automate multi-channel messaging including SMS, email, mobile notifications, and patient portals.
1.5. Track sample movement and automate escalation if turnaround times exceed thresholds.
1.6. Streamline regulatory compliance through auditable, automated status reporting for lab tests.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. Automated trigger on sample barcode scan at reception.
2.2. Status transition in Laboratory Information System (LIS), such as "Sample Received", "In Processing", "Results Ready".
2.3. API call from test equipment signaling completion or exception status.
2.4. Patient or staff manual query via portal triggers automated status check.
2.5. Scheduled automation to batch notify all pending results at intervals.

Platform Variants

3.1. Twilio SMS
• Feature/Setting: Automate “Send Message” action via Programmable SMS API, configure with triggers for status change events.
3.2. SendGrid
• Feature/Setting: Automate transactional email via “Mail Send” API, template with merge fields for patient name, test ID, and status.
3.3. Slack
• Feature/Setting: Automate status notifications through Slack API “chat.postMessage”, use staff channel and thread IDs for context.
3.4. Microsoft Teams
• Feature/Setting: Automate “Send Message” in Teams chat or channel with webhook integration for instant lab status updates.
3.5. WhatsApp Business API
• Feature/Setting: Automate outbound messaging using “messages” endpoint for patient notification.
3.6. PagerDuty
• Feature/Setting: Automate incident creation or alert using Events API for samples delayed or lost, alerting supervisors.
3.7. Google Sheets
• Feature/Setting: Automate row update on status change for simple tracking or batch notification via Google Sheets API.
3.8. Airtable
• Feature/Setting: Automate record update and trigger automations in Airtable on sample status change.
3.9. Salesforce Health Cloud
• Feature/Setting: Automate case update or Chatter post when sample status changes via REST API.
3.10. HubSpot
• Feature/Setting: Automate ticket update workflow and email notification for test lifecycle events.
3.11. Epic (EHR integration)
• Feature/Setting: Automate release of status updates to MyChart patient portal using FHIR or HL7 APIs.
3.12. Cerner (EHR)
• Feature/Setting: Automate clinical event notification via open API or CareAware for staff and patients.
3.13. Google Chat
• Feature/Setting: Automate “messages.create” for instant lab alerts in designated chat rooms or user DMs.
3.14. Discord
• Feature/Setting: Automate bot-triggered messages in lab workflow channels for status updates.
3.15. Zapier
• Feature/Setting: Automate multi-service workflow integrating LIS and communication tools on sample status change.
3.16. Mailgun
• Feature/Setting: Automate status-based transactional email via Mailgun “messages” endpoint.
3.17. Freshdesk
• Feature/Setting: Automate ticket creation/update for incoming, in-process, or delayed samples using API.
3.18. ServiceNow
• Feature/Setting: Automate incident generation and notifications tied to workflow steps in lab operations.
3.19. AWS SNS (Simple Notification Service)
• Feature/Setting: Automate topic publish for push SMS/email/HTTP notifications on lab event triggers.
3.20. Microsoft Power Automate
• Feature/Setting: Automate workflow using “When an item is modified” or custom trigger in LIS for downstream alerts.
3.21. Intercom
• Feature/Setting: Automate chat or email to patient/staff on status change via Intercom API event triggers.
3.22. Zendesk
• Feature/Setting: Automate support ticket update and macro-driven communications using Zendesk API triggers.

Benefits

4.1. Automates repetitive tasks, freeing staff for higher-value activities.
4.2. Automatedly improves reliability of sample status communications to stakeholders.
4.3. Automating status updates reduces delays and mitigates manual oversight risks.
4.4. Automation delivers regulatory and audit logs for compliance in lab management.
4.5. Automatable expansion to new messaging channels as patient preferences evolve.
4.6. Automated escalations for delayed samples ensure consistent quality of care.
4.7. Automator ensures all communications use accurate, real-time status data from LIS or EHR system.
4.8. Automated system scales with lab volume for operational efficiency.
4.9. Automation reduces patient anxiety by providing timely status updates.
4.10. Automating alerts empowers proactive intervention from lab management.