GUIDE / IHIP-L-FORM
IHIP L Form (Laboratory Confirmed Cases): Lab Reporting Guide
The L form is where laboratories report confirmed cases on IHIP. This guide explains which labs fill it, how cases arrive from the P form, the menu labels in the lab manual, and the timing rules that matter.
- Official name
- "L" (laboratory Confirmed Cases), NCDC; Laboratory Cases Form in IHIP manuals
- Filled by
- Laboratory staff in internal and external labs
- Result entry
- Within 7 days of testing (IHIP lab manual)
- Date of Onset
- Must fall within 30 days before the reporting date
- L reporting rate
- 83.40%, 1 Apr 2025 to 31 Mar 2026 (NCDC)
- L reporting units, 2025
- 36,414, of which 82% reported (NCDC)
In IDSP, a case moves through three levels of certainty: suspected (S form), presumptive (P form) and confirmed (L form). NCDC describes the L form as "L" (laboratory Confirmed Cases), filled by laboratory staff. A confirmed case, in the IDSP form guidelines, is "a clinical case with positive laboratory confirmation by appropriate laboratory test/s". In other words, the L form is the point where a doctor's clinical suspicion is backed by a lab result (प्रयोगशाला पुष्टि).
This page is written for lab technicians, lab in-charges, microbiologists and data entry staff who handle the L form on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP). It is an independent guide based on the official IHIP lab user manuals and older IDSP documents. It has no login; all entry happens on the official IHIP portal.
Which labs fill the L form
The IHIP manuals divide labs into two groups, chosen under "Lab Details" as "Internal" or "External":
| Lab type | Examples from the manuals | Typical link |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | Labs inside a PHC, CHC or SDH | Tests samples from the same facility's P form cases |
| External | District Public Health Lab (DPHL), medical college lab, private or reference lab | Tests samples referred from other facilities |
A 2023 journal article (IJFCM) describes L form users as labs linked to P form facilities, which matches the manuals. Each lab has its own user ID. The manual's example, lb28cht0051, shows the pattern: "lb" for Laboratory, a 2-digit state code, a 3-letter district abbreviation and a 4-digit facility number. More on IDs in IHIP user roles.
The lab network behind this is large: NCDC reports 441 District Public Health Laboratories approved in 36 States/UTs and 163 State Referral Labs sanctioned in 27 States/UTs.
How cases reach the lab: the P to L link
On IHIP, a medical officer enters a presumptive case on the P form. If that case needs a test, it is automatically forwarded to the L form user linked to that facility. The lab does not need to wait for a paper request to appear in the system; the case shows up for result entry.
Labs can also add records themselves with "Add Patient Record", for example when a sample arrives without a forwarded P form entry. Where a case was forwarded, check that the details match the sample in hand before adding a result. Doctors filling the referring side should read the IHIP P form guide, and anyone unsure which form applies can compare all three on the S, P and L forms page.
हिंदी में सारांश
आईएचआईपी (IHIP) का L फॉर्म प्रयोगशाला से पुष्टि हुए मामलों के लिए है। NCDC इसे "L" (लेबोरेटरी कन्फर्म्ड केस) कहता है और IHIP मैनुअल में इसे Laboratory Cases Form कहा गया है। इसे प्रयोगशाला कर्मचारी भरते हैं, चाहे लैब आंतरिक हो (PHC, CHC, SDH) या बाहरी (जिला सार्वजनिक स्वास्थ्य प्रयोगशाला, मेडिकल कॉलेज, निजी या रेफरेंस लैब)। P फॉर्म के जिन मामलों में जाँच चाहिए, वे अपने आप जुड़े हुए L फॉर्म उपयोगकर्ता को भेज दिए जाते हैं। मैनुअल के अनुसार जाँच के 7 दिन के भीतर परिणाम दर्ज करें, बीमारी शुरू होने की तारीख रिपोर्टिंग तारीख से 30 दिन के भीतर हो, और पिछली तारीख में प्रविष्टि से बचें। परिणाम Positive होने पर Pathogen फ़ील्ड दिखता है। पुराने L1, L2, L3 कागज़ी फॉर्म अब ऐतिहासिक हैं। यह एक स्वतंत्र गाइड है।
Entering an L form result step by step
This is a practical sequence built from the manual's menu labels and rules. It is a guide, not an official SOP:
- Open the official IHIP portal (ihip.mohfw.gov.in/idsp), type your lab username, password and the 4-digit captcha, and click "Sign In".
- Open "Line Listing" to see cases forwarded from linked P form facilities.
- Pick the matching case and choose "Edit", or use "Add Patient Record" for a new one.
- Under "Lab Details", select "Internal" or "External".
- Enter the test result. If it is "Positive", fill the "Pathogen" field that appears.
- Check the Date of Onset: it must be within 30 days before the reporting date.
- Click "Save", review, then "Submit". Use "Summary" or "Print" if your lab keeps a paper copy.
- Enter results within 7 days of testing. The manuals discourage back-dated entry.
If you cannot sign in, see IHIP login help. For screen errors, the manuals point to the in-portal "Report Problem" form, where you describe the issue and attach screenshots.
Timing rules and why they matter
Three rules from the lab manuals cause most corrections:
- 7-day rule: enter lab results within 7 days of testing. A positive result entered late can delay an outbreak response at district level.
- 30-day onset window: Date of Onset must be within 30 days before the reporting date. If a sample is very old, ask your DSO how to handle it rather than forcing a date.
- No back-dating: back-dated entry is discouraged, so enter as you go.
On IHIP, entry is case-based and continuous, but performance is still measured weekly. The NHM Assam IDSP guideline (2024 to 26) reports weekly S, P and L form reporting, and the IDSP reporting week runs Monday to Sunday. See the IHIP reporting schedule for how weeks are counted.
A cluster of positives for the same pathogen from one area is exactly what surveillance is designed to catch. If you see one, tell your DSO the same day, even after entering results, so an Event Alert can be raised. See outbreak reporting in IDSP.
Historical note: L1, L2 and L3 paper forms
Before IHIP, IDSP used paper lab forms. This is older guidance from the 2008 IDSP form guidelines, useful for students and for reading old registers:
| Legacy form | Labs | Legacy timing |
|---|---|---|
| L1 | PHC and CHC peripheral labs (Malaria, Tuberculosis, Typhoid with Typhi Dot once introduced) | To MO by Monday, to DSU by Tuesday |
| L2 | District public health lab, district and private hospital labs | Direct to DSU every Tuesday |
| L3 | Medical college, tertiary and reference labs | Direct to DSU every Tuesday |
On IHIP these three paper forms are replaced by one Laboratory Cases Form with the Internal or External choice. We found no official statement of a current IHIP lab deadline other than the 7-day result rule, so do not assume the old Monday and Tuesday days still apply; confirm with your DSU.
Which diseases appear on the L form
IHIP tracks 33 diseases according to the PIB launch release, but we could not find an official published list of all 33, and the L form test menu is not printed in the manuals we checked. The legacy L1 form covered Malaria, Tuberculosis and Typhoid. For the historical P form disease list and what is known about current coverage, see IDSP diseases list, and ask your DSU or state lab coordinator for the tests configured for your lab.
Frequently asked questions
What is the L form in IHIP?
The L form is the laboratory reporting format on IHIP. NCDC names it "L" (laboratory Confirmed Cases), and the IHIP manuals call the screen the Laboratory Cases Form. Lab staff use it to enter test results for cases, including cases automatically forwarded from P form facilities, so that confirmed cases are visible to district and state surveillance teams.
Who fills the IDSP L form?
Laboratory staff fill it. On IHIP this includes internal labs at PHCs, CHCs and SDHs, and external labs such as district public health labs, medical college labs and private or reference labs. Each lab has its own user ID, created by the State Surveillance Officer after a request from the District Surveillance Officer.
What is the difference between L1, L2 and L3 forms?
These were paper forms in the older IDSP system. L1 was for PHC and CHC peripheral labs, L2 for district public health labs and district or private hospital labs, and L3 for medical college, tertiary and reference labs. IHIP replaced them with one Laboratory Cases Form where the lab is marked Internal or External.
How soon must lab results be entered on IHIP?
The IHIP lab user manuals say results should be entered within 7 days of testing, and back-dated entry is discouraged. The Date of Onset must also fall within 30 days before the reporting date. Entering promptly matters because a late positive result can delay outbreak detection and response.
Why does a Pathogen field appear in the L form?
According to the IHIP manuals, the Pathogen field appears only when the result is marked Positive. It lets the lab record which organism was identified. Leave it blank for negative results, and if the pathogen you found is not in the list, ask your DSO or state lab coordinator before entering anything.
Can a lab add a case that was not forwarded from the P form?
Yes. The L form menu includes Add Patient Record, which lets a lab create a new record. P form cases that need a test arrive automatically through the P to L forwarding, so check Line Listing first to avoid creating duplicate records for the same patient and sample.
Sources: NCDC IDSP page · IDSP Form Guidelines (2008, historical) · NHM Assam IDSP operational guideline FY 2024-26 · Singh et al., IJFCM 2023. Checked 16 October 2026. Portals and manuals change: confirm on the official site or with your district surveillance unit.