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What is an Accession?

An accession is the central work order in bLIS. It represents a batch of test orders for a specific subject (patient or donor) and one or more samples. Each accession is uniquely identified by an 8-digit accession number. Accessions belong to a subject and track:
  • Subject — The patient or donor being tested (parent entity)
  • Samples — The biological specimens collected for testing
  • Test orders — The specific tests to be performed
  • Organizations — The client who requested the tests, the lab performing them, and any reference labs involved
A single subject can have many accessions over time, creating a longitudinal testing history.

Accession Lifecycle

An accession moves through several stages from creation to final reporting:
1

New

The accession is created with subject information, requested tests, and sample details. The accession status is “new” until specimens are received.
2

Received

Samples arrive at the lab and are logged into the system. The accession status changes to “received” when specimens are checked in.
3

In Progress

Lab technicians perform the ordered tests and enter results. The accession is “in progress” while testing is underway.
4

Completed

All test results have been entered and validated. The accession is “completed” and ready for reporting.
5

Final

A report has been generated and finalized. This is the terminal state for a completed accession.
An accession can be cancelled at any stage if testing cannot proceed. Cancelled accessions do not continue through the normal lifecycle.

Key Fields

FieldDescription
Accession IDA unique identifier automatically assigned to each accession
PriorityThe urgency level (routine, urgent, STAT)
StatusCurrent stage in the accession lifecycle
SubjectThe patient or donor linked to this accession
Creating OrgThe organization that submitted the request
Receiving LabThe lab responsible for processing

Working with Accessions

Managing Accessions

Step-by-step guide for creating, receiving, and tracking accessions.

Test Orders

Learn about the individual tests within an accession.

Data Hierarchy

Understanding how accessions fit into bLIS’s structure:
You can search for accessions by accession ID, subject case ID, or date range using the search bar (press / anywhere in bLIS).