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What happens if your local lab does not have an interface with Amazing Charts?

We use a small independent lab that did not have an HL7 interface. They contacted Amazing Charts and started the process. There is some out of pocket expenses for the lab but many are now requesting electronic interfaces. Having the labs come in electronically is really nice.

We have contacted our lab and at this point they are not willing to do the interface, how can we fulfill core 10 which is required and I don't see an exclusion if we don't have an interface? We order labs daily.

Are you required to use that particular lab? You can always change labs, here's a list of labs that already support the AC Interface:

http://amazingcharts.com/interfacing/lab-interfaces/

Yeah, do you have Quest or Labcorp in your area? Or both. They may even pay for the interface.

We have one hospital and a few clinics. One of the clinics does use quest so I guess that is what we will have to look into. Most patients like using the hospital lab though so it will be a matter of convincing them to use the clinic instead.

Cirrae,

Having the lab interface is nice because it helps you see trends. Hopefully you can get your patients to agree to use the lab that has the interface. Quest paid for our interface. The nice thing too is that Quest takes the lab requisitions from AC so you don't have to use theirs.

How does Quest take lab reqs from AC?
Do you just print out an order and hand to patient or include with specimen if drawn in your office?

Koby,

We draw blood on some of the patients here and just print out the req from AC and include it with specimen. I was told the reqs are scanned in at Quest. I have never had an issue with Quest taking the requisition from AC.

If the patients have to go to the draw station, then we hand them the requisition. Since there are multiple providers in our office, we have to add the NPI # of the ordering provider so they go to the appropriate provider. Unfortunately there is not really a way to add the NPI # to the req, so we have a stamp that we use. We just stamp it right below the name of the ordering provider.

You can register for the Quest website Quest 360. Put in the lab order there, and either print it out or send the patient to the Patient Service Center. If you print it out, you also need to get a separate little printer to print labels for the specimens.

Hi Cirrae,

Have you heard of Health Gorilla? www.healthgorilla.com - they are a certified MU2 and MU3 platform that is free for physicians and they will connect you with any lab/rad vendor for bi-directional interfaces.

@krev,

Given that your email domain is healthgorilla.com, which makes me assume that the pronoun "they" above should be "we"; can you please explain your connection to the company and if you are benefiting from its promotion?

In the FAQ, it states the basic version is free. Does that infer there is a paid version as well?

Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I have been PMd by a few people wondering what healthgorilla.com is and how it can help AC users. I have not heard of it but did take a quick look at the site.

I would appreciate it if others more intelligent than I on these matters would post their thoughts and opinions.

du me dink it be good fo...

Oh, I'll stop.

I'm not quite sure of the benefit they offer. Maybe Krev should start a thread in the Third Party section discussing what benefits they offer and why doctors should use them.

But, like speakers in medicine which have to disclose if they have any interest, don't you think krev should have revealed she works for the company?

and the report that 'her' physicians are using it in tandem with AC; wonder if there is a way to verify if in fact any AC physicians are using it or is it just 'they' downloaded AC to try it within the gorilla model???

I would associate the term "gorilla" more with an insurance or big pharma company. What is the phrase? The gorilla in the room? No...the elephant in the room.

In all seriousness, maybe it is legit. I just think there should have been disclosure with her working for the company and also supplying a name rather than krec.

An anology would be if someone said I am having trouble looking medication doses and someone from here said, "Have you tried using ePocrates.com or lexicomp.com. So, probably OK to mention sites. But, I don't work for Lexicomp. I'll give her a day to respond.

Yes. It's rather plain stupid to post what and as she did. Goodness, can't she see this board is open to 3rd party suppliers. There's a separate section on the board for them to set up a thread to discuss their product/service.

Yes, disclosure would have been nice.
On the other hand,
1. The product may be worthwhile and I, for one, would like to at least hear about it and understand what it is.
2. For newcomers to the board, the appropriate "protocol" is not always clear. For example, we have people who have been "signed-up" for years who don't know how to appropriately use the shout box. If a question arises on the board that is relevant to a new product, I would not want to throw someone out because they respond. Perhaps we should send them an email making our expectations clear.

In short, I think this is a time for the board to be more inclusive, rather than limiting discussion.

I was about to argue that the protocol IS clear, but upon looking at around......

One solution: To sign up, they should disclose whether they are vendors. If they were registered as vendors, they could be given guidelines.

The fact that they have not responded in 24 hours is not a good sign, however.

Agreed- this is the bottom line.

Gene

1. I think the vendor area is basically for those like Tom Hamilton who talks about DNS. I can see where she wrote as being understandable. But, full disclosure is OBVIOUS. It is OBVIOUS. As stated above, noting the Experts-Exchange (which I have recommended over 100 times and only one person has looked at it, lol) is fine. Not saying you work for a company and say it is free, when the word "basic" implies otherwise is simply inappropriate. This is why I also asked for users to look at the site and see what they thought. I know nothing of the inter-workings of medical policies.

As to having them state whether they are vendors or not, that would make the sign-in process to cumbersome. I wanted to add things about the Shoutbox or even about Display Names, but I don't think people will ever get that one.

It may be a great site. But, I will forgive the indiscretion of not giving disclosure. But, I would ask her to come on and give an explanation of that and the gorilla site.

Gorilla site? Did I miss something? Gojira site? Huh? What?

Referring to:

http://www.healthgorilla.com

So now Bert is a shameless shill for that company!

Well, maybe, but as stated above, I am asking for better advice. So, guess it's good I am a shill, whatever that is.

I have to use the lab contracted to assisted living facilities I consult at. There's one hospital lab that predominates. They contacted AC and were quoted a development charge of $15K, which the hospital will not do. While MU allows manual entry of labs into structured format (as found in family hx in the notes), AC has told me that that is not a feature in AC, despite what is allowed by CMS!

I can't find email for Paul Labelle, Development Director. Anyone know it?