Lab and imaging order electronic submission

**1. Purpose**

1. Automate the complete process of submitting lab and imaging orders electronically from EHR or practice management systems, minimizing manual data entry, reducing errors, increasing order turnaround, and achieving interoperability between healthcare providers and diagnostic centers.

2. Automates validation of order details (patient demographics, clinical notes, insurance authorization) and seamlessly delivers structured, standardized requests to relevant labs and imaging facilities.

3. Supports tracking order statuses in real-time, receiving results, and updating patient records automatically, driving efficiency and compliance with medical group protocols and regulatory standards.

4. Encourages automating audit trails, reducing staff workload, cutting redundant paperwork, and enabling faster clinical decision-making and patient follow-up.

**2. Trigger Conditions**

1. New lab or imaging order created in EHR or PM system.

2. Clinician submits a diagnostic request for specified patient.

3. Patient checks in for procedure, activating eligibility verification.

4. Results received from lab/imaging provider triggers automated clinical documentation updates.

**3. Platform Variants**

1. Epic EHR

• Feature/Setting: "Order Entry API" — Automate transmission of structured lab/imaging order bundles with HL7/FHIR protocols for interoperable, automated workflow initiation.
  

2. Cerner Millennium

• Feature/Setting: "Cerner Open Developer Experience (Code) Orders API" — Automates electronic order submissions and result retrieval with automated syncing to patient chart.
  

3. Allscripts

• Feature/Setting: "Orders Connect API" — Automatable order management, directly sends lab and imaging requests, automating result intake.
  

4. Athenahealth

• Feature/Setting: "AthenaOne Order Integration" — Automates external order delivery and brings automated status updates into clinical workflow.
  

5. NextGen

• Feature/Setting: "NextGen Connect Integration Engine" — Automates bidirectional communications for automatic order placement and result ingestion.
  

6. Meditech Expanse

• Feature/Setting: "Meditech Orders Web Services" — Automates lab and imaging order entry with automatic status monitoring.
  

7. DrChrono

• Feature/Setting: "Lab Orders API" — Automates electronic submission with integrated result management.
  

8. Greenway Health Intergy

• Feature/Setting: "Intergy Connect Lab Module" — Automates external lab and imaging order routing and receiving results automatically.
  

9. eClinicalWorks

• Feature/Setting: "eCW Labs Interface" — Automated sending of structured electronic orders, automating tracking.
  

10. Practice Fusion

• Feature/Setting: "Lab and Imaging Ordering Module" — Automate creation/sharing of digital orders and automated result import.
  

11. LabCorp

• Feature/Setting: "LabCorp Lab Orders API" — Automates order receipt for diagnostics and automates instant result reporting.
  

12. Quest Diagnostics

• Feature/Setting: "Quanum Orders & Connectivity API" — Automates secure, seamless electronic order placement and result delivery.
  

13. HL7 Integration Engine (e.g., Mirth Connect)

• Feature/Setting: "Outbound HL7 Order Message Channel" — Automates HL7-based lab/imaging order automation across system boundaries.
  

14. FHIR Server (e.g., Smile CDR)

• Feature/Setting: "Order Resource Submission" — Automates interoperable electronic order workflows with FHIR compliance.
  

15. Redox Engine

• Feature/Setting: "Redox Orders Endpoint" — Automates normalization and submission of lab/imaging orders via API.
  

16. Microsoft Power Automate

• Feature/Setting: "Scheduled Flows + HTTP/Custom Connector" — Automates EHR trigger-driven lab/imaging order posting.
  

17. AWS HealthLake

• Feature/Setting: "FHIR API and Lambda Automation" — Automates structured clinical order streaming and status synchronization.
  

18. Google Cloud Healthcare API

• Feature/Setting: "FHIR Store Orders Interaction" — Automates orders data exchange, automating notification triggers.
  

19. Salesforce Health Cloud

• Feature/Setting: "Clinical Order Flows" — Automates care workflow triggered lab orders, with status monitoring.
  

20. Zendesk

• Feature/Setting: "API-Driven Task Automation" — Automates ticket creation for lab/imaging order follow-up or issue resolution.
  

21. Adobe Sign

• Feature/Setting: "Automated eSignature Workflow API" — Automatable consent form signing integrated with order submission.
  

22. Twilio

• Feature/Setting: "Programmable Messaging" — Automates SMS/email/push notifications for order confirmation/status/ready alerts.
  

**4. Benefits**

1. Automated lab/imaging order transmission reduces delays, boosts accuracy, and minimizes manual errors.

2. Accelerated automated turnaround supports prompt patient care and evidence-based clinical decisions.

3. Automated system keeps all parties synchronized, improving compliance, patient satisfaction, and regulatory adherence.

4. Automates documentation, status alerts, and results integration to enable truly end-to-end digital workflows for group practices.

5. Frees staff for higher-value tasks by automatedly eliminating redundant manual steps in the order and result workflow.