How to handle failed and held samples¶
Samples that failed on the analyzer, were put on hold, went missing, or expired collect on one page. Use it to send them back for retesting, or to recover results that were marked failed by mistake.
Before starting¶
- Permission to view failed and held samples
Find them¶
- Go to HIV VIRAL LOAD → Test Result Management → Failed/Hold Samples.
- Set Result Status to the group to work through.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Failed | The analyzer returned a failure or an invalid reading |
| Hold | Someone paused the sample pending a decision |
| Lost | The sample cannot be found |
| Expired | The sample passed the storage life the lab allows |
- Narrow with the other filters if needed, then select Search.
Send samples for retesting¶
Use this when the sample is still viable and the lab has enough volume left.
- Tick the samples to retest.
- Select Retest the selected samples.
InteLIS confirms that the retest has been submitted.
Retesting clears the result and returns the sample to the untested queue with the status Sample Registered at Testing Lab. The sample can then be added to a new batch. See How to batch samples for testing.
The failed attempt is not erased. InteLIS keeps it on record, so the lab performance reports count both the failed run and the retest. The failure rate stays accurate.
Recover results marked failed by mistake¶
An import can mark a whole run failed when the results were sound. Use this action to put those samples right.
- Tick the affected samples.
- Select Move selected to Accepted.
- Confirm.
InteLIS moves back only the samples whose recorded result is usable. Samples that genuinely failed on the analyzer are skipped, and InteLIS reports how many moved.
If nothing moves, the samples are either genuine failures or already accepted. Those need a retest, not recovery.
Reprint a barcode label¶
Where a tube's label is damaged or missing, reprint it from this page.
- Find the sample.
- Use the printing option on the row.
If no printer is listed, select Change/Retry to pick one.
Decide between retest and cancel¶
| Situation | Action | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sample viable, enough volume | Retest | This page |
| Sample not viable, facility should resend | Reject with a reason | Manage Results Status |
| Sample lost | Mark Lost | Manage Results Status |
| Request entered twice, or withdrawn | Cancel | Manage Results Status |
Cancellation and failure are counted differently. A cancelled sample is treated as never tested and drops out of testing counts and turnaround time. A failed sample stays in the failure rate. Using cancel to clear failures hides a real quality signal.
Confirm it worked¶
After a retest, search for the sample under HIV VIRAL LOAD → Request Management → View Test Requests. It shows the status Sample Registered at Testing Lab and no result.
After a recovery, the sample no longer appears on the Failed/Hold page under Failed, and carries its result.