Provide Order Information

1 In the Order Information section, if the appropriate client does not appear in the Client box, type the first few characters of the client’s name. A list of the first ten matching clients appears. As you continue typing, this list displays more similar matches. When you see the appropriate client in the list, click that client.

Alternatively, type the complete client number and then press Tab, or click next to the Client box. When you click the list icon, a pop-up window displays an alphabetical list of all of the clients assigned to you for the lab that is performing the tests, followed by the client number in parentheses. Click the appropriate one.

Note: The required patient information, available tests, and supported bill types and insurance carriers might change, depending on the chosen client.

In addition, if the patient’s SSN or patient ID is associated with a different patient at the chosen client, that information is removed, and a unique patient ID is generated automatically.

2 If the test was ordered by a physician and the appropriate name does not automatically appear in the Physician box, type the first few characters of the physician’s last name, NPI, or UPIN. A list appears with the first ten matching physicians. As you continue typing, this list displays more similar matches. When you see the appropriate physician in the list, click that physician. (If the physician’s name does not appear in the list, you can simply type the complete name.)

Alternatively, click next to the Physician box to see a list of the physicians associated with the specified client, and then click the appropriate one. If no client is specified, this list includes all of the physicians associated with all of the clients that you can access at the lab that is performing the test.

Notes:  

PECOS appears after the NPI or UPIN if the physician is enrolled with PECOS or if their enrollment is pending. If a physician is selected that does not have a PECOS indicator and the order is for a patient with Medicare, the system displays a message indicating that the order must be placed on hold or canceled.

A physician might be required, depending on the lab, client, or insurance carrier.

If you type a physician’s last name, NPI, or UPIN, the matching physicians associated with the specified client appear first, followed by all other matching physicians. If no client is specified, the matching physicians associated with all of the clients that you can access at the lab that is performing the test appear first.

If you type the physician’s name rather than choosing it from a list, you can use any format, and it is not necessary to include the physician’s NPI or UPIN. However, it is recommended that you use the LastName,FirstName format. This ensures that data that can be sorted by the physician’s name (such as the hold list) is consistently sorted by the physician’s last name.

In addition, if you type the physician’s name rather than choosing it from a list, that name is used only for the current order; it is not saved for future orders. (Physicians chosen from a list become associated with that client.)

For information about adding or removing physicians for a client, see Manage Physicians. You can set your default physician via your user profile.

3 If the test was requested by someone other than a physician (such as a physician assistant), in the Non-Phys Prov box, type the first few characters of person’s last name. A list appears with the first ten matching non-physician providers (NPPs) associated with the client. As you continue typing, this list displays more similar matches. When you see the appropriate NPP in the list, click that NPP.

Alternatively, click next to the Non-Phys Prov box to see a list of the NPPs associated with the specified client, and then click the appropriate one. If no client is specified, this list includes all NPPs associated with all of the clients that you can access.

If the desired NPP does not appear in the list, you can type the person’s complete name and license number. This NPP will subsequently be available the next time you place an order for this client.

Notes:  

If the lab or client does not support orders from NPPs, the Non-Phys Prov field does not appear.

For information about adding or removing NPPs for a client, see Manage NPPs.

4 In the Lab Ref ID box, type any identifier that you want to use for the patient, order, or encounter.

Whether or not the lab reference ID persists (that is, appears automatically the next time you place an order for this patient) depends on the client and your role. For example, for hospital staff members, the lab reference ID never persists.

In addition, you can always add a lab reference ID for a new patient or an existing patient who does not have one, but for some clients, you cannot change an existing lab reference ID.

Note: If a lab reference ID is received programmatically, that ID will overwrite any ID that you specify.

5 Do one of the following:

Note: If you selected the Standing Order check box, if you plan to put the order on hold and complete it later, or if the specimen will be collected at a Quest Diagnostics PSC, ASP, or PSA facility, go to step 6.

Provide information about the collected specimen:

a Leave the Specimen Not Collected check box cleared.

b Click in the Draw On or After box and then click the appropriate date on the calendar, or type the date that the specimen was collected.

Tip: You can use any of the following shortcuts to specify the date:

Type t for today’s date.

Type y for yesterday’s date.

Type t-# (where # is the number of days prior to today). For example, type t‑5 to specify the date five days prior to today.

You can also configure your user profile to use today’s date automatically.

Note: The collection date cannot be more than 186 days old.

c To specify a collection time, in the Time box, type the time that the specimen was collected.

Tips: 

You can type n for the current time.

You can configure your user profile to use the current time automatically.

d In the Fasting list, click Yes if the patient fasted prior to having the specimen collected, No if the patient did not fast, or Unknown if you do not know whether or not the patient fasted (for example, if the specimen was dropped off).

Note: If you schedule the order for the future, the fasting status is automatically cleared, and can be specified when the order is filed.

e If a urine specimen was collected, in the Total Volume (ml) box, type the number of milliliters of urine that was collected (if this information does not appear automatically based on your response to an AOE question).

This value must be either a two- to four-digit number, R (for random), or NOTV (for no total volume).

Notes:  

If you typed NG in response to an AOE question, NOTV might automatically appear in this box. When you complete the order, this is not considered a discrepancy.

For some tests, Total Volume (ml) is a required field.

f If multiple urine specimens were collected over a period of time, in the Duration (hrs) box, type the number of hours (if this information does not appear automatically based on your response to an AOE question).

You can optionally type NG or NOT GIVEN if you do not know the duration.

Notes:  

If R or NOTV appears in the Total Volume (ml) box, NG automatically appears in the Duration (hrs) box.

For some tests, Duration (hrs) is a required field.

Schedule specimen collection for the future:

Note: You can do this only if the client does not use batching (that is, the phrase Batching or Batching-No Reqs does not appear at the top of the Order Information section). If the client uses batching, you can save the order for completion later, but it will be put on the hold list rather than the scheduled orders list, and no draft requisition will be printed.

a Select the Specimen Not Collected check box.

b Click in the Draw On or After box and then click the date on the calendar when the specimen should be collected, or type the date.

You can optionally use today’s date and simply specify a future time, or even leave the Time box blank.

Tip: You can use any of the following shortcuts to specify the date:

Type t for today’s date.

Type t+# (where # is the number of days after today). For example, type t+14 to specify the date two weeks from today.

c To specify a collection time, in the Time box, type the time that the specimen should be collected.

Tip: You can type n for the current time.

This time will appear automatically in the scheduled orders list, although you can change it as needed. For information about managing scheduled orders, see Managing Scheduled Orders.

6 In the Report Comments box, type any comments that you want to include on the test results report.

These comments are also included on the requisition, in the Excel version of the requisition log, and in the hold list.

7 In the Internal Comments box, type any comments for the lab that you want to include on the requisition.

These comments are not included on the test results report, but are included in the Excel version of the requisition log, as well as the hold list.

8 Go to one of the following sections, depending on what is appropriate for this order:

Have Additional Copies of the Results Sent

Complete the Order