Laboratory reports are essential for diagnosing, monitoring, and treating patients. In Canvas, labs are managed through the Data Integration system, which ensures accurate linking of lab results to patient charts. While electronic lab results are automatically linked to patients when all identifiers match, manual intervention is required when identifiers do not align. This guide explains how to manage, review, edit, and remove lab reports, as well as how to link results to lab orders.
User's Guide
Linking of Lab Results from Health Gorilla to Patient
Automatic Linking
Electronic labs are automatically linked to patient charts when all patient identifiers (MRN, Name, DOB) match.
Manual Linking
Follow this process for any lab results from Health Gorilla that do not automatically associate due to mismatching patient identifiers.
Access the triple-line menu located at the top-left corner and choose Data Integration.
Select the Lab icon to filter for unlinked electronic lab results.
Click the lab report to open the linking modal. The patient lookup field will appear on the left side, along with a PDF preview on the right.
Search for and select the patient using the Link to Patient field. The lab result will then be linked to the patient and removed from the list of unlinked results.
If the results are not associated with any patient in the practice click Can't Find Patient to remove the results from the list
Processing Lab Reports from Data Integration
Click the triple line menu
Click Data Integration
Complete fields to process the lab report
Link to patient: Search for the patient in the Patient Name field
Choose document type: Select Lab Report from the dropdown
Reviewer: Individual user or team responsible for reviewing the lab results.
If the patient is assigned a Care Team Lead in their profile, the Care Team Lead will default as the reviewer
Link Originating Lab Order: Select originating lab order to tie the results to
Review Mode: Choose one of the following:
Review Required: notification will show in the reviewer's user panel on the schedule view
Already Reviewed Offline
Review Not Required
Comments: Add internal notes if needed
Clinical Date: Enter the date in mm/dd/yyyy format or use the calendar
Choose a Report Type: Select the lab report(s) included in the results
Lab Values: Include values provided in the lab report. This will create a trending table in the lab results of the patient chart.
Click for Clinical Review to link the document
Reviewing Lab Results
Lab results can be reviewed through the Schedule View or the patient's chart
Reviewing Results from the User Panel
Navigate to the badge icons on the top-right of the Schedule View.
A red badge above the lab icon indicates pending lab reports for review.
Click the Lab icon to display assigned lab reports.
Select the desired lab report card to open the review modal
The modal will display the lab result document and the fields to complete the review.
Complete the following fields:
Patient Message: The message visible to the patient. (Character limit: 2048).
Patient Communication: The method of communication for the message.
Send via Patient App: Is only available when the Canvas Patient Portal is enabled and the patient has a verified contact in their profile.
Linked Items: Lab orders will display here if they are linked to the results. Any relevant items can also be linked here manually.
Internal Comment: Notes visible only to internal staff. (Character limit: 2048).
Click Sign to complete the review.
Once the review is complete, a Chart Review note will be created in the patient's chart. The note will contain the Lab Review Command containing the information the reviewer added in the modal.
Reviewing Results from the Panel
Open the patient’s chart and locate the badge icons on the top-right.
Select the Lab icon to display lab reports in the action pane.
New results are marked with a red badge.
Expand the desired lab card to access options such as:
PDF: Open the report in a new tab.
Assigned: Change the assignee.
Edit: Modify report details.
Review: Insert a review command into the note.
Remove: Delete the lab report.
Click Review to begin the review process
If a note is selected, the Lab Review command will be inserted into the active note.
If no note is selected, the command will populate in a new Chart Review note.
In the Lab Review Modal, the reviewer can see the document itself along with the fields to document the review process
Patient Message: The message visible to the patient. (Character limit: 2048).
Patient Communication: The method of communication for the message.
Send via Patient App: Is only available when the Canvas Patient Portal is enabled and the patient has a verified contact in their profile.
Linked Items: Lab orders will display here if they are linked to the results. Any relevant items can also be linked here manually.
Internal Comment: Notes visible only to internal staff. (Character limit: 2048).
Click Sign to complete the review.
Once the review is complete, a Chart Review note will be created in the patient's chart. The note will contain the Lab Review Command containing the information the reviewer added in the modal.
Reviewing Results from Lab Review Command
Within a new or existing note, add the Lab Review command
Complete command fields
Patient Message: The message visible to the patient. (Character limit: 2048).
Patient Communication: The method of communication for the message.
Send via Patient App: Is only available when the Canvas Patient Portal is enabled and the patient has a verified contact in their profile.
Linked Items: Lab orders will display here if they are linked to the results. Any relevant items can also be linked here manually.
Internal Comment: Notes visible only to internal staff. (Character limit: 2048).
Click Sign to complete the review
Editing a Lab Report
Lab reports can be updated through the patient chart or Schedule View.
Navigate to the patient chart or Schedule View and locate the Lab icon
Select the desired lab report card and expand it
Click Edit to open the modal for any modifications
Report Name: Name displayed on result card
Date: Date labs were collected
Comments: Any comments regarding the lab report
Document Type: Change the document type of the incorrect one was selected
Removing a Lab Report
Navigate to the patient chart or Schedule View and locate the Lab icon.
Select the desired lab report card and expand it.
Click the downward arrow next to Edit and select Remove.
Confirm removal in the dialog box. The lab report is unlinked from the patient chart.
Linking Lab Results to Orders
Lab results can be linked to lab orders in several ways to provide clinical context and ensure accurate data.
Automatic Linking with Health Gorilla
Lab tests ordered through Health Gorilla are assigned a unique identifier.
Lab results received electronically with matching identifiers are linked automatically with the order.
Manual Linking
On a lab report card, click Link to Order.
Select the appropriate lab order from the dropdown menu of unlinked orders.
The lab report updates to display the linked order details, including the ordering provider’s name.
To change or remove a link, click Edit and use the options to update the order.
Reviewing Internal Comments for the Lab Review
Internal review notes for the lab results are only visible on the command itself. Follow these steps to be routed directly to the command.
Navigate to the patient chart
Click the Labs icon in the patient panel
On the card for the lab result, click Reviewed on [DATE] at [TIME]
A new tab will open that takes the user directly to the review command associated to the lab test.
Assigning Processed Lab Results to a New User or Team
Results can be assigned to a team or individual after the results have been processed and linked to a patient
Assigning Lab Results to a Team
Click the Lab icon in the patient or user panel to open the result cards
Click the team link on the card to open the dropdown. It will either say No Team Assigned or state the name of the team currently assigned
Select the team name from the dropdown
Lab will show under the user's labs in their panel
Assigning Lab Results to an Individual User
Click the Lab icon on either the user or patient panels to open the Lab Results
Click the name of the assigned user to open the dropdown
A user will ready be assigned since it is required to process in Data Integration
Select name of new assignee
Lab will show under the user's labs in their panel
FAQ & Troubleshooting
Q: When is manual linking necessary?
A: Manual linking is required when patient identifiers do not match or when results are manually uploaded.
Q: Can lab reports be reassigned to another reviewer?
A: Yes, reports can be reassigned by clicking the assignee’s name on the lab report card and selecting a new reviewer from the dropdown menu.
Q: Do lab values need to be included when adding lab results manually?
A: This is a decision to be made by the practice. Documenting lab values is best for tracking historical results whether through the patient panel or through the diagnostic theater.
Q: Do the results have to be linked to the order?
A: The order can be linked to the result to close the loop and make sure orders are not outstanding. Also, it is necessary if the practice is using this information for reporting purposes.
Related Resources
• Processing Documents via Data Integration
Learn how to upload and assign clinical documents from the Canvas Data Integration system.
• Understanding Commands
Explanation of how commands influence workflows and documentation
Keywords & Metadata
Keywords: Lab results, lab report management, Canvas Medical, Data Integration, linking lab orders, patient chart, lab review process, manual linking, Health Gorilla, lab report editing.
Categories: Laboratory Management, Data Integration, Patient Records, Workflow Optimization.