🎯Setting up conditions

Every filter needs at least one condition that determines when a result is critical. Choose the method that fits your test type.

Result Filter Setup

For Radiology & ECG

Steps:

1. Select 'Radiology' or 'ECG' from Lab dropdown

2. Choose ordered location of your test

3. Enter exact keywords that trigger alerts

Example keywords to use:

• Radiology: AA, A, AY, R1, R1U

• ECG: Abnormal

Conditions section under Creating New Filter for Radiology

For Biochemistry, Haematology & Microbiology

Steps:

1. Select lab type from dropdown

2. Choose ordering location

3. Set up conditions (methods outlined below)

Setting up Conditions

Method 1: Numerical Values

When to use: For lab values with specific number ranges (e.g., pH levels)

Example: Flag biochemistry results when pH < 7.2 or > 7.6

Available comparisons:

• Critical alert can trigger when value is Less than, Greater than, Equal to, Between, Not between the specified number

• Example:

  • Between: Triggers when the value is within the specified range. You can choose if limits are inclusive or not.

  • Not Between: Triggers when the value is outside the specified range. You can choose if limits are inclusive or not.

Method 2: Keywords

When to use: For text-based results, checking if certain keywords appear

Included keywords

✅ Results WITH these keywords = Critical

• Example: SEEN, 1+, 2+ → Flags "Seen 1+" as critical

Excluded Keywords

❌ Results WITH these keywords = NOT Critical

• Example: NSEEN → "NSEEN" not flagged as critical

Image Example:

• You enter these Included Keywords: 1+ , 2+, 3+, SEEN

• You enter these Excluded Keywords: NSEEN

Here’s how Rooster will behave:

• If the result has: “Seen 1+” → Flagged as critical

• If the result has: “NSEEN” → Not flagged as critical

• If the result has BOTH: “Seen 1+” and “NSEEN” → Not flagged as critical

Tip: If your lab sends results in the NTE segment Enable the option “Search for keywords within the first NTE segment.” and Rooster will also look in the first NTE segment right after the OBX result for any matches.

(Optional) Method 3: Procedure Codes

When to use: Applying rules only to specific tests or panels

• Matching Criteria: Exact match (case-insensitive)

• Example: Enter procedure code LAB240 and only results with that exact code will be flagged as critical.

(Optional) Method 4: Specimen Source or Type

When to use: To target specific specimen sources or specimen types in the HL7 message

• Matching Criteria: Exact match (case-insensitive)

• Example: Pleural tap, Knee aspirate → Only alerts for these sources, other spicimen sites will be ignored for this rule.

If multiple fields are configured (e.g. keyword + procedure code), the result is critical when all of those conditions are met

Setting up Additional Conditions

Age-based Filtering - Different rules for different age groups

Purpose: Apply different alert thresholds based on patient age

How it works:

• Age calculated by rounding down to nearest unit

  • If patient's DOB is July 10, 2020, and today is July 8, 2024, they are considered 3 years old.

• Critical alert can trigger when patient's age is Less than, Greater than, Equal to, Between, Not between the specified age

Example scenarios:

• "Critical only if under 5 years old"

• "Critical only for those over 65"

First Presentation Only - Avoid repeat alerts for same condition

Purpose: To avoid sending duplicate critical results SMS to clinicians

Two options:

1. Per Patient Admission

   • Only alerts for critical result once per patient's admission (based on visit number)

   • Subsequent similar results during same admission are ignored

   • Best for: Conditions that don't change much during a single hospital stay

   Example:

   • A patient is admitted for pneumonia.

   • A positive TB test is received → Flagged as critical

   • The same test result appears again during the same admission → Not flagged as critical

2. Within X Hours

   • Set custom time window (e.g., 4 hours)

   • First result will be flagged as critical, after that any other results received with the same keywords are silenced until the time window expires

   • After time window, alerts resume for new results

   • Best for: Conditions that may evolve or need periodic monitoring

   Example timeline (4-hour window):

   • Time 0: "Seen 1+" → Flagged as critical

   • Time 3h: "Seen 1+" again → Not flagged as critical

   • Time 4h 1min: "Seen 1+" → Flagged as critical

More configurations

• ☑ 'Included Keywords' is different from previous values

  • A result is treated as new if it contains a different keyword from before.

  • Example if enabled:

    • First result: “1+” → Flagged as critical

    • Second result: “SEEN” → Also flagged as critical (different keyword = new presentation)

  • Example if disabled:

    • First result: “1+” → Flagged as critical

    • Second result: “SEEN” → Not flagged as critical (different keyword = same presentation)

• ☑ 'Specimen Source or Specimen Type is different'

  • Results from different sample types or sources will be treated as a new presentation

    • Example if enabled:

      • First result: Bacterial culture from Pleural fluid → Flagged as critical

      • Later result: Same test from Synovial fluid → Also flagged as critical (different source = new presentation)

    • Example if disabled

      • First result: Bacterial culture from Pleural fluid → Flagged as critical

      • Later result: Same test from Synovial fluid → Not flagged as critical (different keyword = same presentation)

Excluding Locations

• Select 'All Locations', 'All Clinics', or 'All Wards' to ensure no result is missed

• Use 'Locations to Exclude' to specify exceptions where the rule shouldn't apply

Example: Apply to all wards EXCEPT the research unit and outpatient clinic

Route results to specific routing rule

Default behaviour: Rooster auto-assigns the critical result to routing rule based on patient specialty and location e.g., If patient is currently in the A&E department, the routing rule assigned to A&E will be applied

Override when needed: ☑ 'Route results to specific routing rule '

• Forces all matching results to use your chosen rule

• Ignores patient location/specialty

• Example use case: R1U results that skip manual intervention. Refer here to configure your critical results to skip manual intervention.