Locate the flagged results on a lab report
An out of range value is a result the laboratory has marked because it falls outside the reference range printed on that report, usually with a letter, symbol or highlight. Ask Search+ which results on this report are flagged, and each answer cites the exact line, so you can read the value, units and range together and take the list to your clinician. Search+ points you to flagged lines; it does not decide what they mean.
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Last updated October 2026
How to find flagged results with Search+
- Upload the full report, every page
Flags can appear on any page, and some labs add a summary of abnormal results at the start or the end. Upload the complete report, as the lab's PDF or a scan of the printout, plus any amended version, so no page is left out of the answer.
- Ask about each kind of flag separately
Ask first for results marked high, then for those marked low, then for anything labeled critical, abnormal or with an asterisk. Labs use different markers, and separate questions keep each kind of flag in its own cited answer.
- Check the line, then look for comments
Open each citation and read the value beside its units and range. Then ask whether a comment or footnote refers to that test, for example a note that the sample was repeated, so the full context is in front of you.
Questions to ask about flagged values
List every result on this report that has a flag, quoting the test name, value, units and flag exactly as printed.
Does the report explain its flag symbols, for example what H, L, A or an asterisk stands for?
Is any result described as critical, or is there a note that the lab contacted the ordering clinician about it?
Across the reports in this workspace, on which dates was this test flagged, and on which was it not?
Are there results without a flag that still carry a comment or footnote from the lab?
What to look for in out of range values
Common markers are the letters H and L, words such as high, low or abnormal, asterisks, bold type or a separate column. Many reports include a key, often in small print at the foot of a page.
A flag compares the value with the range printed on that specific report. Another lab using a different method can print a different range, so a flag on one report does not carry over to another.
Some reports use a separate marker for results the lab treats as urgent, and may note that the clinician was contacted. Ask about these by name, because the wording differs from routine flags.
Flags appear beside the result itself, and some labs repeat them in a summary section. If an answer cites only the summary, ask a follow-up for the line in the main results table.
The report marks where the number sits; it does not say why or what to do. Those questions depend on history and symptoms the report does not contain, which is why they belong with your clinician.
Every answer cites the excerpt it used, with a page or section reference when the report provides one. An answer can still miss a flag or attach it to the neighbouring test, so use the cited excerpt to find the line, then confirm the value on the report itself; on a scanned report, look closely at small or faint markers.
Flag wording you may see and a follow-up for each
| Wording or marker you may see | What it usually signals on the report | A follow-up question |
|---|---|---|
| H or High | The value is above the range printed beside it | What range is printed on the same line? |
| L or Low | The value is below the range printed beside it | Is this test flagged on earlier reports too? |
| A or Abnormal | The lab marks the result as outside its expected range or pattern | Does the report define what A means? |
| An asterisk or bold type | A highlighted result; the meaning depends on the lab's key | What does the report's key say the asterisk means? |
| Critical, panic or alert value | A result the lab treats as needing prompt attention | Does the report note who was contacted, and when? |
| See comment | The lab added a note about this result | What does the comment for this test say? |
What is an out of range value on a lab report?
An out of range value is a test result that falls outside the reference range the laboratory prints for that test, and which the report highlights with a flag. It tells you where the number sits relative to that range, as a prompt for the ordering clinician to review.
Out of range value questions
Does a flagged result mean something is wrong with me?
Can Search+ catch flags that are shown only by bold or color?
How do I see whether the same test was flagged before?
My report has a flag key. Can I ask what it says?
Will every flag be in the answer?
List the flags before your appointment
Start a workspace, upload your lab report, and ask Search+ to point to every flagged line.
Start a workspace