The faster diagnostic tests are completed, the faster you can proceed with the best care for your patients. To achieve this, you need to be able to generate radiology requests as quickly and as accurately as possible.
This article will guide you through the process of ordering radiology tests through Genie. You’ll also find some helpful tips on how to streamline your requesting process to achieve the quick turnaround that your patients need.
Radiology Request Templates in Genie version 9.3.9 have now been added as Custom Forms. This means a much simpler way to preview, edit, and streamline your radiology requests! See our updating article to upgrade your Genie.
Before you begin
Before raising a radiology request for the first time, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve configured the laboratories you’ll be sending them to. When in the Radiology Request window click the Laboratory drop-down menu near the top of the window, and confirm whether the appropriate lab is already configured.
If the lab you need is not listed, select the New Provider option, and enter the lab’s details into the window that opens.
Please note: If the lab you need is already in the list, but its details are incorrect, you will need to hold the Alt / Option key on your keyboard, and click on the lab’s name to remove it from the list. You can then re-add it with the correct details.
Once the lab has been configured and selected, you can create the request by following the steps below.
To create a radiology request, click the icon in the patient's Clinical window to open the Radiology Request window. You can also get to this window by right-clicking the patient’s name in the Patient List or Appointment Book and selecting the Radiology option.
In this window, you have two lists.
The list on the left shows various tests that can be requested. Locate the appropriate scan in the list by scrolling, or by typing into the search field above the list. Once you’ve located the appropriate scan, you can add it to the request by doing any of the following:
- Double-clicking the scan.
- Clicking and dragging the scan into the box in the middle of the window.
- Highlighting the scan and clicking the green arrow
icon.
New scans can be added to and deleted from the list using the blue plus and trash can
icons in the top left-hand corner, respectively.
The list on the right shows the different areas of the body where the tests/scans on the left might need to be performed. This list functions the same as the other, so once you’ve added the scan from the list on the left, you can then add the area for the scan from the list on the right in the same way.
Once you’ve added the required scan(s), you can include a reason for the request using the box in the middle of the window. Click the Reason drop-down menu, and then select the reason from the list, or select the New… option to add a new reason.
If the patient has a current pregnancy record, their EDD will appear in the Reason field automatically.
In Genie v9.3.8 and below, the Include Current Problems checkbox, as well as the Procedure Info and WorkCover Info buttons, can be used to include relevant clinical information in the Reason field as well.
The text field in the bottom left will have all of the patient's interested parties listed in red. You can edit the interested parties by clicking the doctors button, or add a new CC by clicking the Copies to... button.
After adding the scans, the locations, and the reason information, you’ll be ready to print the request by clicking the Print button in the bottom-right. For information about the radiology templates you’ll be using to print the requests, take a look at the next section.
Adding and editing request templates
In Genie v9.3.9, all nation-wide and state-specific request templates will automatically download when the first user opens the Radiology Request window after upgrading. We have also made some improvements to these forms in Genie v9.4.2 based on customer feedback.
Add a template
- Open a radiology request
for a patient, then click the blue plus
icon next to the template drop-down, to create a new custom form.
- Choose your desired date and time formats when prompted, then the custom form will auto-populate all appropriate fields on the left-hand side of the template.
- You can use the Add Background icon
and add an A4 PDF as your background image if you have a high-quality copy of the request paper. Use the Picture from Library expression on the left to add in any additional images to your template (such as a letterhead or signature).
- Use the Show/Hide Expressions <<>> if required to view all the default radiology fields (some may be appearing blank depending on the patient file you are in), then click and drag them into the appropriate place on the template.
- Give your template a name in the Title field at the top, then click the floppy disk icon
to save and close out of the form.
Edit a template
- Open a radiology request
for a patient, then choose your form from the template drop-down.
- Click the pencil icon
to edit the template.
- Add any additional information using the Fields/Expressions on the left, or click and drag fields around the page to their appropriate positions.
- Once you are happy with your changes, click the floppy disk icon
to save, then close out of the form.
Tip: If you do not have pre-printed paper for this particular request form, you can check the Print Background option and then Save the template. When you go to print the form, it will print with the pre-printed request paper as well.
If, for any reason, you need to reprint a radiology request (e.g. the patient loses their copy), you can do so from the Investigations Audit. Just navigate to Open > Investigations Audit and locate the request in the list. Double-click the request to open it.
From here, simply click the Printer icon at the bottom. Genie will print an exact duplicate of the request, saving you from having to create a new one from scratch.