Laboratory and imaging
Specimen tracking
Specimen tracking is the recorded chain of custody of a laboratory sample from collection through transport, receipt, processing, analysis and storage, using a unique identifier, usually a barcode, so that the location and status of the sample are always known.
Why it matters
Most laboratory errors arise before the sample reaches the analyser, in ordering, identification, collection and transport [1]. A mislabelled tube produces a correct result for the wrong patient, which is more dangerous than no result at all. WHO's laboratory quality management handbook treats sample management, including labelling, transport and rejection criteria, as one of the essentials of a laboratory quality system [2].
Key points
- Barcode labels printed at collection link the tube to the patient and the order.
- Scanning at receipt and at the bench records each handover with the time and the person responsible.
- Rejected samples are logged with a reason, so the ward can collect again promptly.
- Timestamps at each stage show where turnaround time is lost.
In Moana
In MOANA LIS, barcode labels are printed at collection and each sample is tracked from the ward through receipt, rejection with a recorded reason, and the bench.
Sources
- Errors in clinical laboratories or errors in laboratory medicine?, Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, 2006
- Laboratory quality management system: handbook, World Health Organization, 2011
Read the guide: What a Laboratory Information System Should Do: A Buyer's Guide
In the platform: MOANA LIS
Related terms: Laboratory information system, Master patient index, Critical value
Updated 2026-11-03. Written under Moana’s editorial standards.