Before HotDoc can notify a patient that their results require no further action, we first want to be sure that:

• All relevant results have been returned;
• All items in the doctor's inbox for the patient, for the same performed date, have been marked with an action; and
  
• All relevant results have been checked as 'No action' required 

This is to avoid prematurely advising the patient that their results require no further action.

Please follow the steps in the article to see how the practitioner can do this in Best Practice. 

How does HotDoc determine when to send a No Action Result?

In the example above, patient 'James Potter' had two tests performed on 26th May 2023. The results of these tests have been grouped together by HotDoc.

Before sending a No Action Result message for a given performed date, the following will need to occur in Best Practice:

1. Doctor marks all requested tests for the patient, within the year prior to the performed date, as 'returned'
   
2. Doctor checks all results as requiring 'No action'

1. How a doctor marks requested tests as 'returned'

Once results have come back for a patient's requested tests, the doctor will need check-off the relevant requested tests in Best Practice as returned.

• A No Action result message cannot send until all requested tests in the 12 months prior to tests performed date; have been marked as returned.
  
  
• This is because it's not always clear which requested tests are linked to the results that are returned.
  
  
• To avoid sending a No Action Result message before all results have come back, we treat any request for tests within the last 12 months as relevant to a result.
  

How to mark requested tests as returned:

• When practitioners review their Inbox in Best Practice, they can see Outstanding requests for each patient. When a patient's results have come back, the practitioner will check-off the relevant requested tests here.
  
  
  Eg: In the above example, Histology tests were ordered for patient Rufus Barleysheath on 01/05/23 and 06/07/23
  
  
• Alternatively, this can be done in the patient's record in Best Practice by double-clicking on Outstanding requests under Notifications. Requests can then be deleted or marked as received.
  
  
  
  

2. How a doctor checks results as requiring 'No action'

If all relevant requested tests have been checked off, HotDoc can send a No Action Result message to the patient if all results for a given performed date are checked as requiring 'No action'.

1. When checking an item in the practitioner's Inbox in Best Practice, under  Action to be taken, select 'No action'
   
   
   Screenshot of how a practitioner checks an Inbox item as a result requiring 'No action' in Best Practice.
   
   
2. A No Action Result SMN can now be queued to send to the patient.
   
   

How can I see details of outstanding requested tests and unchecked items?

If a No Action Result message hasn't sent yet, you can view the details of the relevant outstanding requested tests and/or unchecked items in the Dashboard.

1. Navigate to Recalls > Results > All and search for the patient by name:
   
   
   
   
2. Click View next to the result, it should be in the Status In progress - waiting for results
   
   
   
   
3. In the highlighted section below, you can see the details of the requested tests and unchecked items that require action before a No Action Result message will send:
   

What if a No Action result is marked as "Under specialist care"?

Results checked as Under specialist care and No action, will not receive a No Action Results message via HotDoc. This is to avoid confusion for patients that may need to take further action with their specialist.

Eg: Result checked as "No action" and "Under specialist care" in Best Practice

Eg: "No action - Under specialist care" result in the HotDoc Dashboard