Module 6: Requisitions and Reporting—Nominal and Anonymous Testing   

View Module 6 for Nominal Testing Sites on Eloomi
View Module 6 for Anonymous Testing Sites on Eloomi

Materials in this module will help you: 

  • Accurately complete the form that you will submit to the Public Health Ontario Laboratories (PHOL) for HIV rapid POC test results and additional HIV testing requests 
  • Use the stickers provided by the Ministry of Health to notify PHOL of HIV rapid testing results and request additional laboratory testing.
  • Complete the daily testing log to maintain the quality of testing at your site.
  • Use the logs to find the results of a client who has misplaced their tracking number.

Record Keeping is Essential

  • Complete an HIV Serology Requisition form
    • Anonymous Testing requisitions can be ordered from the Ministry of Health.
  • Make a log entry for the test on your site’s daily log.
  • Create a take-home card for the client with their anonymous identification number.

The HIV Serology Testing Form

Nominal POC Testing

  • This form is used for both rapid POC and standard laboratory testing
  • Complete information about a client’s ethnicity and risk factors should be part of every form; this helps improve HIV care and the targeting of prevention services in Ontario; it is not used to track the client.
  • Only submit one requisition for each POC test. If confirmatory serology is being conducted, immediately following a person’s POC test, indicate this on the same requisition by using a pink or yellow sticker- as per instructions on using ministry stickers.

Workflow and the Serology Requisition

Do not complete the patient information section of the form until POC testing is complete. The outcomes of POC testing will determine whether a standard serology sample will also be submitted. If a form is submitted without a sample, it must be anonymized to protect the privacy of your clients.

  • When using the form to submit a blood sample for lab testing, it should be completed in full with the client’s name, full date of birth and OHIP number. Submit whole blood samples for routine testing. The name and date must be the same on both the form AND the sample.
  • When POC testing was done, but you are not submitting a sample:
    • Only put the client’s year of birth on the form, not their full birth date
    • Text Box: Suggested Code: If you saw Jack Smith on July 3, 2019 the code could be JS-03072019 Use an identification code, not the client’s full name.

Anonymous POC Testing

·       This form is used for both rapid Point of Care and standard laboratory testing

·       Complete information about a client’s ethnicity and risk factors should be part of every form; this helps improve HIV care and the targeting of prevention services in Ontario; it is not used to track the client

·       Only submit one requisition for each POC test. If confirmatory testing is being conducted, indicate this on the same req using a pink or yellow sticker.

  • When submitting a blood sample for testing, the code on the form and the sample must match and the date must be present on both the blood and the form.

Peel-off Code Stickers

The large ID numbers at the bottom of the form peel off. They are used to identify the client’s information whether or not testing is done at your site or sent to the public laboratory.

Use: 

  • One to label the blood sample (if submitting) 
  • One to label the POC testing membrane (if doing a POC test) 
  • Place one on the client’s take home card 

An anonymous file is also created for the client using this ID number. 

Using Anonymous ID Numbers

When doing follow-up standard testing on a Point of Care test, or when submitting standard testing early in the window period:

  • Make sure the client has their take home card with the peel-off ID number attached. This is how you will identify their results when they return.
  • Encourage the client to return for their results, even if they lose their card and number.
  • A person’s anonymous testing number should never be stored in a nominal file that your site may maintain for STI or other testing records.

If an identification number is lost:

  • You can use the daily log from the day they came in and look up anonymous files listed to see if the information and risk factors match the client.
  • Clients concerned about losing their number can give you a code word to add to this anonymous file, so that when you look it up you know you have found the correct file!

Requests for Testing and the Priority Sticker System

The priority sticker system helps the laboratory process samples more efficiently.The following sticker system instructions will alert Public Health Ontario Laboratory to Point of Care test submissions and assist in their handling. All HIV POC test requisitions must include colour-coded stickers (supplied by HIV & Hepatitis C Programs), as per the chart below.

ScenarioSticker ColourNumber of Stickers
Client tests Reactive (serology submitted) Pink1
Client tests Window Period (serology submitted) Yellow1
Client tests non-reactive (negative) Green1
Client tests Reactive and does not submit blood sample.Pink and White2
Client tests Window Period and does not submit blood sample.Yellow and White2

 *Forms without samples should be anonymized (no name or date of birth; use code/year of birth only)The Daily Log

This is a sample of the daily log template. An entry must be made for every test you do.

Resources and More Information