{"id":3521,"date":"2026-08-04T13:43:47","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T13:43:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/?p=3521"},"modified":"2026-08-04T13:45:04","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T13:45:04","slug":"studies-after-medical-history-consultation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/new-features\/estudios-despues-consulta-historia-clinica\/","title":{"rendered":"Do the test results that arrive after the appointment also go into the medical record?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Laboratory results, imaging studies, and reports from other departments rarely arrive at the same time as the consultation. Sometimes the patient sends them days later via WhatsApp; other times they bring them printed to their next visit. If those files remain outside the <strong>Medical record<\/strong>, tracking becomes fragmented and the team ends up searching for information across messages, emails, and folders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Previously, files could only be attached when registering a visit. Now, if you receive studies after the consultation, you can upload them directly to the patient's record without creating a new visit or clinical note. <strong>laboratory results<\/strong> and other important reports are organized along with the patient's visits, notes, and background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1778\" height=\"508\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/itaca.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image.png?fit=1024%2C293&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Image\" class=\"wp-image-3532\" style=\"width:702px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/itaca.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image.png?w=1778&amp;ssl=1 1778w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/itaca.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image.png?resize=300%2C86&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/itaca.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image.png?resize=1024%2C293&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/itaca.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image.png?resize=768%2C219&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/itaca.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image.png?resize=1536%2C439&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/itaca.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image.png?resize=18%2C5&amp;ssl=1 18w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When a test result arrives after the consultation, what is the best course of action?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rule is simple: document a visit when there was clinical care that needs to be recorded; upload a file when what arrived was subsequent information that must be integrated into the chart. These are distinct actions, and both have a clear place in the workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Register<\/strong>: use it if you saw the patient, need to document what happened, or want to generate a clinical note. In that same workflow, you can attach the files reviewed during the care.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Upload file<\/strong>Use this if you received a result, report, or material that needs to be kept in the file, but does not correspond to a new consultation or require generating a clinical note.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This separation helps maintain a comprehensible chronology: the visit represents the care; the file preserves the evidence that arrived before or after. Maintaining that difference prevents the record from suggesting clinical contacts that never happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What files should be uploaded to the medical record<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The button <strong>Upload file<\/strong> It is designed for information that typically comes up between appointments and that the next healthcare professional needs to access without having to reconstruct the patient&#x27;s medical history. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Laboratory results: blood count, glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile, kidney function, hormone tests, or other tests.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Imaging test reports: X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, MRIs, or Doppler studies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Discharge reports, hospitalization summaries, pathology reports, procedure reports, or evaluations by another specialist.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Useful materials for follow-up that should be kept on file, such as meal plans, instructions provided by another department, or relevant administrative documents.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The goal is not to turn the medical record into a disorganized repository of files. It is to ensure that useful information is linked to the patient and can be viewed in the context of the patient\u2019s overall clinical picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Clinical archive or reference archive: a practical decision<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When uploading a file, Itaca asks you to specify how it should be used. The difference comes down to a simple question: <em>Can this content provide relevant information to understand the clinical evolution of the patient?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Clinical Record<\/strong>: Select this option for lab results, imaging reports, hospital discharge summaries, and other documents that may provide clinical information relevant to the patient&#x27;s follow-up care.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reference File<\/strong>: Select this option for documents you want to keep in the file but that should not be included in the longitudinal clinical record; for example, a meal plan, educational materials, or an administrative record.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Separation protects the usefulness of the chart: not every file useful to the team should influence the patient's longitudinal clinical reading. Choosing the correct type keeps information available without mixing clinical evidence with supporting material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Review the file before confirming it<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clinical records undergo a review before being confirmed. The healthcare professional can review the record and the extracted content to verify that it corresponds to the patient and the expected study. Confirmation does not replace clinical judgment nor is it equivalent to interpreting a result; it simply ensures that the correct information is included in the record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This review is especially useful when the file was received through an external channel, has multiple pages, or contains dates that must be read in context. It also allows you to maintain an important distinction between the date a visit was recorded and the date indicated within the study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Example: Lab results received one week later<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Imagine that during a consultation, HbA1c, lipid profile, and kidney function tests are ordered. Seven days later, the patient sends the lab results as PDFs. There\u2019s no need to create a new visit just to save the results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From the patient file, open <strong>Files<\/strong>, select <strong>Upload file<\/strong>, select <strong>Clinical Record<\/strong> and upload the PDFs. After reviewing and confirming them, the studies are organized in the patient's file along with the information from the original care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If, on the other hand, the patient shares a meal plan created by a dietitian, they can upload it as <strong>Reference File<\/strong>. The file will remain available for follow-up, but it will not be treated as part of the longitudinal clinical context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A more useful medical record for the next care<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clinical continuity depends on being able to quickly answer basic questions: what was ordered?, what results came in?, what was documented in the last consultation?, what new information appeared afterward? When visits and files are kept with their purpose and date, the medical record is easier to review and explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also reduces unnecessary tasks. Instead of opening a dummy encounter to archive a PDF, the team can keep the document where it belongs: in the patient's records. And when care actually took place, <a href=\"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/new-features\/signed-clinical-notes-medical-records\/\">record and sign the medical note<\/a> keeps clear what happened during that visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The file does not replace clinical judgment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Organize lab results and reports into a <a href=\"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/guides\/electronic-health-record-impact\/\">electronic medical record<\/a> It facilitates access and continuity, but it does not replace the treating physician&#x27;s assessment. A medical record helps preserve evidence and context; interpretation, decision-making, and communication with the patient remain the responsibility of the healthcare professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With Itaca, you can keep your consultations documented and, at the same time, incorporate any test results that come in later without disrupting your workflow. <a href=\"https:\/\/app.itaca.pro\/sign_up?locale=en\" title=\"\">Discover Ithaca<\/a> and organizes each patient&#x27;s clinical information in a more consistent manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lab results and reports that arrive after the consultation: how to integrate them into the electronic health record without registering a new visit.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3525,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","slim_seo":{"title":"\u00bfLos estudios que llegan despu\u00e9s de la consulta tambi\u00e9n quedan en la historia cl\u00ednica? - Itaca","description":"Lab results and reports that arrive after the consultation: how to integrate them into the electronic health record without registering a new visit."},"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3521","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-new-features"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/itaca.ai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/estudios-despues-consulta-expediente-clinico.png?fit=1672%2C941&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3521"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3521\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3535,"href":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3521\/revisions\/3535"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itaca.ai\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}