HOWTO: Import HL7 Lab Files andView Lab Results

Purpose: OpenEMR 4.2+ imports HL7 lab results files and displays them for review and signing. This document will show the steps to configure OpenEMR and then how to perform those tasks. An appendix shows how to obtain test data and also clear test data from the system.Many thanks to Rod Roarke for this module.

Overview:1) Configure OpenEMR to receive and access the HL7 files2) Transfer HL7 files from the remote source (e.g., the lab) into a specified directory on the OpenEMR server3) Import files into OpenEMR4) Review and process results

1) Configure OpenEMR

As Adminisrator- priviledged user:1. Make lab provider in address book

- Left Nav: Admin/ Addr Book; click 'Add New' button ( “1” top right)- Select service Type from dropdown at top, as Lab Service (“2” top center)- At minimum enter lab name in Organization (“3”)- Click 'save' at bottom of panel (“4”)

New Address Book entry:

2. Left Nav: Procedure/ Providers - Click button (“1” at top)- Fill in data:

Select new lab from dropdown (“2”)'Usage': Production (“3”)'Protocol': Local File System; Results Only'Results Path': the path on your server where HL7 files will be uploaded to.

The new provider entry:

OpenEMR is ready to receive hl7 files.See Appendix to obtain sample files from for testing.

2) Transfer HL7 files • For this demo I have downloaded the hl7 files to my local hl7Holding directory (left oval

below)• You will receive them from your source and store them where you wish.• I use FileZilla with an sftp connection to transfer the files to the OpenEMR results directory

(right oval below).

3) Import HL7 files When (Left Nav menu:) 'Procedures / Electronic Reports' is clicked the results files will be processed into OpenEMR immediately before the Electronic Reports screen is displayed.

NOTE: if an HL7 file is imported for a patient who does not exist in the system, apt record will be automatically created using the demographics data in the HL7

file.

4) Review and process results

View results in pt record

1. In Electronic Results screen, click on the pt's name tobring up their summary screen.

2. Scroll down to Labs widget and click “Click Here” link (oval)

3. Select test results to view

4. Select output

5. Click 'Submit'

6. Scroll down for results display(arrow)

Note 'Printable View' button isoffered in both display ypes.

Default matrix display:

Optional list display:

View Results in Electronic Reports

Returning to the Electronic Reportsscreen:

View result report: click on date in Ordercolumn

Results Panel (top)

In the results panel. ' code' column text is linked (blue rectangle)

Clicking it brings a popup to accessMedLine search page

Results panel

In this full results panel you can see;• the 'All Results' button toggles with a 'Latest Results' to display either set of results

(blue rectangle)• the notes column reference numbers, and the note message at bottom left (arrows)

View Order Summary

Back at the Results screen:

Click on number in Order ID column...

… to see the lab order summary.

And that is the current state of OpenEMR's HL7 Lab Results import Electronic Reports module.

See Appendix 1 to obtain test HL7 files and for steps to clear the imported test HL7 files from the system.

Appendx – HL7 Import Testing

Acquire test HL7 files1. Go to NIST 'Lab Results Interface' site (top rectangle):

http://hl7v2-lab-testing.nist.gov/mu-lab/faces/index.xhtml

2. Select EHR Context Based Validation (oval)3. Select the test cases (MU testing was done with 'GU') (lower rectangle) 4. Drill down to the individual case to downloaded

5. Click tab 'Select' (right oval below )

Tabs along the test case window display different views of the hl7 files' contents.

6. After file loads, click tab 'Save message' (oval below) and save to local location

To download another, click 'Test Case'link (red oval above), open anothertest case tree and drill down to thebottom level, selecting another testcase file.

Delete test results

After importing test files, you may wish to completely delete the test pts and the lab data.

The patients that were automaticallygenerated will appear on the pt rosterin all caps.

1. Go to each pt's summary screenand click 'Delete' button thenconfirm you want to do that.

2. Open your database and paste the following sql code into the SQL tab:

truncate table procedure_order;truncate table procedure_order_code;truncate table procedure_report;truncate table procedure_result;

or your own preferred equivalent commands.

FOR SYSTEM TESTING ONLY: DO NOT USE ON PRODUCTION SYSTEMThis will remove all lab result data