Reference Laboratory Interface
Overview
Sites may use the Reference Laboratory package as a unidirectional interface, which only transfers laboratory results back to the ordering facility. Other sites may use the package as a bidirectional interface to transmit their orders electronically as well as receive results using the auto instrument option of the RPMS Laboratory Package.
Urban, Tribal, and IHS facilities using the RPMS Laboratory System may use a unidirectional interface if laboratory staff does not have time to accession and track all reference laboratory data. Sites will select to use either a unidirectional or a bidirectional interface after the software installation when site parameters are set.
Unidirectional
A unidirectional interface passes laboratory data from the Reference Laboratory to the Patient Care Component (PCC) database, if it meets all criteria of patient and test identification. Do not interpret the laboratory data stored in the PCC as a replacement for the hard copy laboratory reports issued by the Reference Laboratory and filed in the patient charts. The hard copy report remains the legal laboratory report. The laboratory data transmitted to PCC via the interface is designed as a replacement for PCC data entry and provides an abstracted view of laboratory results suitable for health summary display, database searches, and clinical overview.
Bidirectional
Facilities using the RPMS Laboratory Package may use the reference laboratory interface in bidirectional mode. Test orders placed in the RPMS Laboratory System or Electronic Health Record (EHR) are exported to the designated Reference Laboratory when accessioned. Test results are released by the Reference Laboratory and may be reviewed and verified using the Enter/Verify Data (Auto Instrument) option in the Processing menu of the Laboratory Package. If a site uses a bidirectional interface, the data stored in the laboratory files duplicates the data sent by the Reference Laboratory and is available in all normal laboratory report options as well as from PCC and the Electronic Health Record (EHR).
