Direct tests are tests performed directly on a specimen (as opposed to a culture or isolate). Any test performed directly on a specimen is a direct test, regardless of the nature of the test. While the default system configuration includes an initial set of tests, including a Cell Count Test (see form below), a Gram Stain Test and India Ink Test, etc., these can be modified in any way, renamed, or completely removed if not useful.
Furthermore, new tests can be derived from this initial set and altered to form completely new tests. Test creation and modification is covered comprehensively in section <link>?????????????</link>.
The only field that is built into every test and cannot be removed is the Display in Report toggle. This ensures that it is always possible to include or exclude a specific direct test result from a clinical report. It is, however, possible to move this field to a different position on the form.
Before results for a particular direct test can be entered, the direct test must first be added to a specimen. This can be done manually (see Add a Direct Test), at any time (subject to specimen state and permissions), or automatically, through a Specimen Type Direct Test Default rule (see ???????).
Once associated with a specimen, a direct test can then be updated (see Edit a Direct Test) or deleted (see Delete a Direct Test) at any time, again, subject to specimen state and permissions.
While the Display in Report field is set as part of each direct test form, approvers have final control over this setting as part of the approval process (see ?????).
Finally, to accommodate larger laboratories in which one or more technicians may specialize in performing certain direct tests (as opposed to other aspects of specimen testing), tests can be located, edited and deleted by means of a dedicated direct test management page (see ??????). This removes the need for such technicians to go into specimen records to find specific tests to conduct and add results for.