Hi everyone,
I'm an office manager and a newbie at tech (though not too green). I had some questions about AC's lab interface. I'm having trouble figuring out the electronic lab delivery process. I've read the description on the AC website, but because I'd like to have multiple lab interfaces, I guess I need a little more detail than that.
To summarize what the AC website says: To completely interface AC with a lab company's system, two steps must be taken. The lab company must install a software on the user's computer. This software delivers the files in an HL7 format to a folder where AC can access it. The second step is that a feature (i.e. 'import ability') of AC must be enabled.
Okay. So here come the questions.
1. What is the software that the lab company installs? Is its only purpose the secure transmission of data?
2. If I'm not mistaken, AC keeps its data in the xml format. Is the feature that must be activated in AC an HL7 interface engine? i.e. something that has the ability to convert HL7 formatted data into the different formats and vice versa?
3. I'd like to interface with the State of Texas Lab Services Section. It is not on the list of AC lab partners. Is an interface with them in the future unlikely?
I've got more questions, but I won't know how good they are until I learn a bit more.
Thanks,
Mario.
P.S.
A word about HL7. Health Level 7 - non-profit organization that was started advance the standardization of electronic medical data interchange. But from what I can tell, it also refers to a file format.
