What is Accessioning?
Specimen Registration and Processing
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- Accessioning
- Accessioning is the process of receiving, logging, and preparing specimens for testing in a laboratory. It includes verifying specimen integrity, matching specimens to orders, assigning unique identifiers (accession numbers), and initiating the laboratory workflow.
Accessioning is a critical pre-analytical step that directly impacts laboratory quality. Errors at this stage - mislabeling, specimen rejection, or order mismatches - can cause delays, wrong results, or patient harm. Efficient accessioning reduces turnaround time and ensures accurate patient identification.
Key Steps in Accessioning
Specimen Receipt
Receive and unpack specimens from collection sites
Verification
Check specimen condition, labeling, and requisition match
Accession Assignment
Generate unique accession number and labels
Order Entry
Enter or verify test orders in LIMS/LIS
Exception Handling
Flag and resolve discrepancies or rejections
Routing
Direct specimens to appropriate testing areas
Why Accessioning Matters
Ensures correct patient identification
Initiates chain of custody tracking
Validates specimen quality
Links specimens to test orders
Timestamps receipt for TAT tracking
Enables specimen tracking through testing
Captures demographic and insurance data
Reduces pre-analytical errors