00576

Abnormal Flags

1995-11-25
Definition: a table lookup indicating the normalcy status of the result. We strongly recommend sending this value when applicable. If the observation is an antibiotic susceptibility, the interpretation codes are: S=sensitive; R=resistant; I=intermediate; MS=moderately sensitive; VS=very sensitive. (See ASTM 1238 - review for more details). Refer to Table 0078 - abnormal flags for valid entries.

When the laboratory can discern the normal status of a textual report, such as chest xray reports or microbiologic culture, these should be reported as N when normal and A when abnormal. Multiple codes, e.g., abnormal and worse, would be separated by a repeat delimiter, e.g., A~W.

Length≤10
19 values
No range defined, or normal ranges don't apply
<Below absolute low-off instrument scale
>Above absolute high-off instrument scale
AAbnormal (applies to non-numeric results)
AAVery abnormal (applies to non-numeric units, analogous to panic limits for numerics limits)
BBetter (use when direction not relevant)
DSignificant change down
HAbove high normal
HHAbove upper panic limits
IIntermediate
LBelow low normal
LLBelow lower panic limits
MSModerately sensitive
NNormal (applies to non-numeric results)
RResistant
SSensitive
USignificant change up
VSVery sensitive
WWorse (use when direction not relevant)
IDCODED VALUEPrimitive