How can lab orders be managed?

Managing lab orders effectively is key to ensuring patients receive appropriate care. The correct choice involves the collection and review of lab orders alongside updating the patient's status. This approach ensures that healthcare providers have a comprehensive view of the patient's ongoing care requirements, facilitating timely interventions based on lab results.

When lab orders are collected and reviewed, clinicians can accurately track which tests have been ordered, monitor their progress, and correlate the outcomes with the patient's current health status. This active management helps in making informed clinical decisions, adjusting treatment plans, and following up on necessary actions based on lab results.

Other options lack the thoroughness needed for effective lab order management. Simply reviewing lab results without managing the orders themselves does not provide the full context needed for patient care. Automatically approving all pending lab orders could lead to unnecessary tests or oversight of critical results, while ignoring lab orders altogether can result in missed diagnostic opportunities and negatively impact patient outcomes. Thus, the comprehensive approach in the correct answer is essential for maintaining high-quality patient care.