Lab Order Integration - FAQs

» How does OmniMD^™ EMR interact with labs and handle lab results?

The lab integration module helps providers interact with both internal and external laboratories. Using this module, providers can order lab tests directly from the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). When results are ready, they are directly imported to the OmniMD^™ lab module and an alert is sent to the provider. Integration of lab orders with the EMR, and use of a website patient portal offers a paperless solution for providing test results to patients and attaching the diagnostic report to the patient electronic medical record. Allowing complete user flexibility, results can be transmitted via fax or scanned for integration with the EMR.

» Can providers order lab tests using OmniMD^™?

Yes, OmniMD^™ lab order integration with EMR allows providers to seamlessly order and integrate lab reports and tests. OmniMD^™ supports laboratory interfaces with both Quest and LabCorp. The provider can directly order patient tests at these labs for immediate action and fast processing.

» How are the results received from the labs?

OmniMD^™ supports lab ordering and result retrieval interfaces with both Quest and LabCorp. Finished test results are directly transmitted from the lab to be attached to the patient record in the EMR. This reduces coordination time and effort between the provider and the lab. A web-based system enables the provider to view the lab results much faster than the conventional telephonic or fax method. As soon as the provider signs off on the report just received from the lab, it is automatically attached to the patient record. This makes the process of delivering patient lab test reports and diagnostic results more efficient in completing the patient electronic medical record.

» Does OmniMD^™ comply with HL7?

Yes. OmniMD^™ is Health Level 7 (HL7) compliant EMR software.

About HL7 - Health Level 7 is one of several American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited Standards Developing Organizations (SDO’s) operating in the healthcare arena. Most SDO’s produce standards (sometimes called specifications or protocols) for a particular healthcare domain such as pharmacy, medical devices, imaging or insurance (claims processing) transactions. Health Level 7’s domain is clinical and administrative data. Like all ANSI-accredited SDO’s, Health Level 7 adheres to a strict and well-defined set of operating procedures that ensures consensus, openness and balance of interests. Health Level 7 develops specifications - the most widely used being a messaging standard that enables disparate healthcare applications to exchange key sets of clinical and administrative data. (Source –HL7 Website)

Simply put, OmniMD^™ can be integrated with HL7-compliant lab order systems, practice management systems, and other software being used by the practice. Interoperability of HL7 software offers the healthcare provider a single, seamless platform for data capture and retrieval.

» The OmniMD^™ lab interface is available for which lab companies?

OmniMD^™ supports lab order and results retrieval interfaces with Quest and LabCorp. Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp are leading providers of diagnostic testing and lab services. Test results from the lab are available in electronic format and the lab test report is automatically attached to the patient health record.

About LabCorp: “Laboratory Corporation of America® (LabCorp®) is one of the world's largest clinical laboratories, with annual revenues of $3.3 billion in 2005.” LabCorp operates a nationwide network of 35 primary testing locations, more than 1,100 patient service centers. Routine testing is the cornerstone of the company's industry-leading national network. LabCorp has approximately 24,000 employees and offers more than 4,400 clinical tests ranging from routine blood analyses to the most sophisticated molecular diagnostics. Listed under the ticker symbol LH on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), LabCorp tests more than 360,000,000 specimens daily for over 220,000 clients nationwide. (Source – LabCorp website)

About Quest Diagnostics: “Quest Diagnostics is the nation's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services that patients and doctors need to make better healthcare decisions.” Quest Diagnostics has 30-plus regional laboratories in key US markets, plus the UK, and Mexico, with approximately 150 rapid response laboratories and over 2,000 patient service centers. (Source - Quest Diagnostics website)

» How is an abnormal value identified in OmniMD^™ lab results?

Since the lab report is received in the electronic format, the system automatically checks the results against pre-set range values and indicates abnormality by display in red.

» Does OmniMD^™ Lab integration feature remove administrative in-efficiencies?

Yes. Your administrative staff does not need to make repeated telephone calls or have meetings with lab personnel. There burden of data entry of lab results into the patient chart is eliminated as the results are automatically uploaded into the system. Diagnostic lab results are saved digitally in the EMR. Paper reports are eliminated and information is instantly stored and immediately accessible, making your administrator’s job a lot easier. Patient care improves and administrative overhead is significantly reduced because information is recorded digitally and accurately at the source. The efficiency of your practice and practice staff is being optimized.