Test Catalog

The Test Catalog (/admin/tests) is the master list of investigations your laboratory offers. Every invoice line item, sample routing rule, analyzer mapping, and report metric ultimately references catalog entries.

Permission module: catalog (parameters use catalog_parameters)

Catalog hierarchy

flowchart TB
    T[Test] --> P[Parameters]
    T --> PR[Profile membership]
    T --> D[Department]
    T --> $[Default price]
    P --> PG[Parameter groups / medicine groups]
    PR --> PF[Testing profiles]

Entity	Purpose
Test	A billable investigation (e.g., CBC, LFT, HbA1c)
Parameter	Individual analytes within a test (e.g., WBC, RBC)
Profile	Bundle of tests sold as a package
Department	Bench routing (Hematology, Biochemistry, etc.)

Creating a test

1. Navigate to Admin → Tests.
2. Click Add Test.
3. Complete core fields:

Field	Guidance
Code	Short internal code; map to analyzer analyteCode where applicable
Name	Patient-facing name on reports
Department	Controls workflow queues
Default price	Base charge before discounts or referral rules
Turnaround (TAT)	Expected hours for TAT reports
Sample type	Blood, urine, swab — drives collection instructions
Outsource flag	Routes to outsource report when enabled

4. Add parameters for structured result entry (numeric, text, pick-list).
5. Save and verify the test appears in invoice search.

Naming conventions

Use consistent codes (CBC, LFT-7) so analyzer middleware can auto-map HL7/ASTM OBX codes to catalog parameters.

Parameters and reference ranges

Each parameter supports:

Attribute	Description
Unit	e.g., g/dL, ×10³/µL
Reference range	Age/gender-specific ranges where configured
Critical limits	Optional flags for panic values
Display order	Controls result PDF layout

Configure grouped parameters under Admin → Medicine Groups (catalog_parameters) when prescriptions or structured panels share metadata.

Profiles (testing packages)

Profiles combine multiple catalog tests at a bundle price:

flowchart LR
    INV[Invoice] --> PF[Profile: Executive Checkup]
    PF --> T1[Lipid Panel]
    PF --> T2[LFT]
    PF --> T3[RFT]
    PF --> T4[CBC]

Link profiles on the Testing Profile screen (profiles permission). Profiles accelerate reception workflows and reduce pricing errors.

Pricing interactions

Source	Precedence
Catalog default price	Base
Rate list / coupon	Applied at invoice time
Referral doctor agreement	Commission and optional price override
Home collection	Additional charges module

Analyzer mapping

For analyzer integration, ensure:

1. Parameter codes align with instrument output codes.
2. Sample barcodes registered before ingest match machine payloads.
3. JSON analyteCode values map to catalog parameter codes.

Inactive tests

Deactivating a test hides it from new invoices but preserves historical results. Prefer inactive over delete for audit compliance.

Import and bulk maintenance

For large catalogs:

• Use spreadsheet import where available (see Import / Export)
• Stage changes in a test environment before production
• Run a catalog diff review with bench supervisors

Permissions summary

Action	Permission
View catalog	catalog.view
Add tests	catalog.create
Edit prices/parameters	catalog.edit
Retire tests	catalog.delete
Medicine groups	catalog_parameters.*

Quality checklist

Check	Why it matters
Every billed test has a department	Sample routing
Parameters match report template	PDF accuracy
TAT populated	Operational dashboards
Outsource flags correct	Referral lab billing

Related documentation

• Departments & Profiles
• Referrals & Rate Lists
• Laboratory: Result Entry
• Analyzers & Integration