Connectivity Options
We currently offer two connection options:
- File drop: This is offered only for our Client-server practices.
- To establish a connection, we advise that the lab works with the practice IT company. We can provide you with the path to drop the files. Usually :\gdb_common\OP Labs[insert lab facility name]\hl7.
- TCP/IP via VPN: This is offered only for our Cloud practices.
- Our VPN Connectivity form will be provided.
- Port Selection can be assigned by us or the lab. If it is assigned by the outside vendor we will need to confirm this port is not already in use.
General Information
- Office Practicum uses standard hl7 2.3.1 and 2.5.1 message formatting.
- Messages should be sent as multi-message files or single message files with unique file names.
- We prefer to have a file extension of ".hl7".
Performing Lab Information
- The preferred method of sending this information is in an NTE segment following an OBX. If you need to display CLIA information then just add one more NTE segment in the end, for example:
NTE|1||Test Performed at:||NTE|2||Office Practicum Lab, 5 Walnut Grove Drive, Horsham; PA 19044| NTE|3||CLIA #:00A123456||
- Or it can be sent in OBR 21.2 - 21.6.
Test Patient Demographics
For testing, we prefer to use one of the following test patients.
- Mary Testpatient, DOB 5/16/1998, Female, Patient ID 99
- John Testpatient, DOB 10/02/2008, Male, Patient ID 100
Textual Reports (Radiology, Transcriptions, Visit Summaries, etc.)
Note: Transcription may be sent with each line in its own NTE segment, or as repeated OBX-5 values with escape characters for formatting. |
PDFs can be sent in one of two ways.
- 2 of the same files- One file with the .HL7 file extension and the second file with .PDF file extension.
- An encoded Base64 PDF can be sent in the HL7 file. This must be sent following the format listed below. The encoded PDF must be present in OBX 5.
For example:
ORC|RE|ZZ32458979^LAB|DA0999997^LAB||||||201006290000|||1111111111^UROPATHOLOGY^T^^^^^N OBR|3|ZZ32458979^LAB|DA0999997|PDFReport1^PDF Report^DIANON|||20100625000000|||||||||TUAEF01^UROPATHOLOGY^T^^^^^L||||||20100629123820|||F OBX|1|ED|PDFReport1^PDF Report^L||DIANON^Image^PDF^Base64^JVBERi0xLjINJeLjz9MNCjEgMCBvYmoNPDwgDS9DcmVhdG9yIChQREZCdWlsZCBGb3Ig
Specification Details for HL7 2.3.1
MSH
Encoding characters | Please utilize \|^~\& |
MSH-04.1 | Sending Facility |
MSH-06.1 | Receiving Facility will be the lab-issued practice ID or Account Number. Please use one unique ID per practice location, if possible. |
MSH-07.1 | Date/Time of Message |
MSH-09.1 | Message Type = ORU |
MSH-09.2 | Trigger event |
MSH-10 | Message Control ID (Unique value) |
PID
PID-02.1 | External ID |
PID-03.1 | Internal ID |
PID-05 | Pt. Name |
PID-07 | DOB |
PID-08 | Gender |
PV1
PV1-7 | Attending Physician
|
ORC
ORC-02.1 | Placer Order Number.ID, Order ID (Office Practicum will label this with our next available ID when the field is blank). |
ORC-05 | Order Status, visible status for OP user. |
ORC-12 | Ordering Provider
|
OBR
OBR-03.1 | Filler Order Number.ID, specimen ID (unique ID) |
OBR-04 | Universal Service Identifier (Test ID) If sending LOINC only, the total field needs to be 3 only in OBR-4 like the example below. 04.1-LOINC code 04.2-Description 04.3-ID Type of LN For example, 57020-0^UA W/MICRO-RFX CULT^LN If sending local test id only, the total fields need to be 3 only in OBR-4 like the example below. 04.1-Local code 04.2-Description 04.3-ID Type of L For example, K010^UA W/MICRO-RFX CULT^L If sending both LOINC and Local test id, the total fields need to be 6 only in OBR-4 like the example below. 04.1-LOINC code 04.2-Description 04.3-LN 04.4-Universal Service Identifier (Test ID) 04.5-Description 04.6-L For example, 57020-0^UA W/MICRO-RFX CULT^LN^K010^UA W/MICRO-RFX CULT^L |
OBR-07.1 | Observation (Sample Drawn)Date/Time: Collection Date |
OBR-14 | Specimen Received Date/Time |
OBR-16 | Ordering Provider
|
OBR-21 | Performing Lab Information can be sent in this field
|
OBR- 22.1 | Results Rpt Date/Time |
OBR-25.1 | Result Status |
OBR-28 | Copy to Provider
|
OBX
OBX-01 | Set ID |
OBX-02 | Value Type |
OBX-03 | Observation Identifier ID If sending LOINC only, the total field needs to be 3 only in OBX-3 like the example below. 03.1-LOINC code 03.2-Description 03.3-ID Type of LN For example: 5778-6^Color^LN If sending Local Test ID only, the total fields need to be 3 only in OBX-3 like the example below. 03.1-Local code 03.2-Description 03.3-ID Type of L For example: K6000^Color^L If sending both LOINC and Local Test ID, the total fields need to be 6 only in OBX-3 like the example below. 03.1-LOINC code 03.2-Description 03.3-ID Type of LN 03.4-Local code 03.5-Description 03.6-ID Type of L For example: 5778-6^Color^LN^K6000^Color^L |
OBX-05 | Observation Value |
OBX-06 | Units |
OBX-07 | Reference Range |
OBX-08 |
|
OBX-11 | Observation Result Status |
OBX-14 | (Physiologically relevant) Date/Time of Observation
|
NTE
NTE (after OBX) |
|