What are the stages of a kit life cycle?
An Ash self-collection kit goes through the basic stages below during its life cycle. Blue indicates an official Ash status or notification that is shared through our portal products or API integration.
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Order-received
Once an order is placed with Ash, either through an API integration or other technology means, it will undergo a series of order validation to ensure the order is in good standing. If an order meets all required criteria, including client-specific set ups, it will move into order-received status. If an order does not pass order validation, an error status will be returned or displayed with a message indicating how to correct the order, and the order must be resubmitted in order to continue processing.
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Fulfillment
All orders received in good standing will be passed immediately to a fulfillment partner. Fulfillment picks and packs, adheres appropriate labels and prepares the kit for pick-up by the shipping carrier. Any issues with the order barring fulfillment or caught during QC checks throughout the process may be pulled from production for remediation.
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Order-fulfilled
Once the kit has completed processing by our fulfillment partner, the order moves into “order-fulfilled” status. Our fulfillment partner will pass on the kit ID used for each unique order, as well as outbound and inbound tracking information. This information is included in the order-fulfilled update.
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Sample collection
Once the kit is delivered to the patient, the patient is responsible for completing sample collection and mailing their kit back to the lab, using the instructions and prepaid return label provided. There may be a kit registration step as well. More information on that is provided below.
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Test-samples-received
Once the kit is delivered to the lab, the order moves into “test-samples-received” status and a notification is provided to the client and/or patient letting them know the sample is at the lab. At this time, the kit either enters into lab processing or if there is an issue with samples or order, the kit will be rejected or placed on temporary hold. More information on kit rejections is provided in the lab processing FAQ section.
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Lab processing
Once successfully accessioned, the kit will be processed by the lab, typically for 3-5 business days. The lab will run the tests provided in the lab order, matching it with the patient identifier information provided on the samples. The lab will reach out to Ash with any questions or issues while processing the samples.
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Results-ready
Once the lab releases results, the order moves into “result-ready” status, at which point the life cycle is considered complete. This update will include raw test results, a full pdf provided by the lab or both depending on your set up. More information on results is provided in the results FAQ section.
How do we know where a kit is in the cycle?
Ash currently support three status updates for all unique orders to track a kit through its life cycle. These status updates will either be shared via API notifications or displayed in your portal, if using an Ash portal product. More information on the contents of each can be found in our API documentation.
- "Order-Fulfilled"
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"Test-Samples-Received"
- Note: Some labs do not support this update as part of their accessioning process and thus, this time stamp indicates delivery of the sample to the lab. In that case, there may be a slight delay between delivery and accessioning.
- "Results-Ready"
Ash is in the process of additional additional statuses to its life cycle, including capturing when a self-collection kit is delivered to the patient and when the patient puts their samples back in the mail to the lab.
What do I do if an order status is not updating?
If you notice an order status is not updating, please reach out to clientsuccess@poweredbyash.com for assistance. Our support team can help determine the cause of an issue and facilitate next steps.
What is the kit ID?
This kit ID serves as a unique identifier for each kit and allows us to track easily track samples as they move through the life cycle. This kit ID is printed on each collection device included in a self-collection kit. The kit ID will begin with AW followed by 8 alphanumeric digits and cannot be repeated for new orders, including for replacement kits.
What is kit registration?
Kit registration is the process of tying a physical test kit to an order. Kit registration either occurs at the time of initial order placement, “order-initiated registration”, or during a secondary step after a patient has received their kit in the mail, “patient-initiated registration.” If a kit is not registered, no electronic lab order will be created and thus, the lab will not be able to process the kit.
How does patient-initiated registration work and how is it different than order-initiated registration?
If you opt for the patient-initiated registration workflow, you will need to set up a secondary kit registration step for patients to access after receiving their kit in the mail. Typically, this is done by including a QR code / URL on the branded tray or insert that will direct patients to a webpage where they can input their kit ID and personal information. More detail on what information needs to be collected for kit registration is outlined in our API documentation.
This differs from the order-initiated registration workflow, where patients / clients will provide all necessary information for shipping and lab processing at order placement. In this workflow, patient are not required to register their kit themselves or provide any additional information upon receiving it.
How do I decide which registration workflow to choose?*
This decision depends on your patient population, the type of test you are running and the user experience you want to create for your patients. Typically, we suggest a patient-initiated registration workflow if the person placing the initial order is not the same as the person who will complete sample collection, if you would like to place bulk orders or hand kits out in person, or if you need information from the patient specific to their collection (ex: day of menstrual cycle.) This workflow also creates a natural touchpoint during the sample collection process, where you can provide tips or other supplemental resources. That said, this workflow relies on the patient to complete their kit registration for the lab to process their results, so we typically suggest opting for order-initiated registration if your patient population is less tech-savy or you want to reduce potential drop-off points or friction.
*Ash’s patient portal must use the patient-initiated registration workflow and Ash’s order portal must use the order-initiated registration flow.