Specify a Test

1 In the Tests section, do one or more of the following to specify the order codes (up to the maximum number supported by the lab):

Notes:   • The Added Tests area indicates how many order codes are currently in the order. • The labs from which you can order tests might be affected by the patient’s insurance carrier, insurance ID, or group number. To bypass that limitation, click Override in the message in the Insurance Information area. (Overriding the carrier’s preferred lab might affect patient billing.) If the message in the Insurance Information area lists a single lab and you ordered tests before clicking Override, you must map the specified tests to tests at your current lab (as described later in this procedure). If the message lists multiple labs and you change the carrier to one that has a contractual agreement with your current lab, or if you click Override in the Insurance Information area, any previously specified tests will be performed at your current lab; you do not have to map any of them. However, if your current lab cannot perform a particular test, that order code is removed from the order, and a message in the Tests section advises you of this. You can subsequently change the lab manually and create a new order for that test. • If you selected the Companion check box (as described in Specify Standing Order Details), you can specify only tests that are part of the selected program (which appear in the Companion Program group). If you order non-Companion Diagnostics tests and then subsequently select the Companion check box, those tests are removed from the order, and a message advises you of this. • You can add only one wellness code to each order. For more information, see Wellness Codes.

• Select one or more tests:

a In the select from list, click the appropriate group.

The default group of favorites (if any) for the client that appears in the Client box in the Order Information section appears automatically. If no client is specified, the default group for the default client of your current lab or the carrier’s preferred lab (if appropriate) appears automatically. If no default group has been defined, the first group appears automatically.

Note: You can set your default client via your user profile. For information about setting your default group, see Manage Favorites via Streamlined Order Entry.

Your 15 most recently used tests for the client that you are currently accessing appear in the Recently Ordered group. (If you subsequently add a test associated with a different lab, the items in this group might change.) You can optionally hide this group via your user profile.

If your favorites include a custom profile, the order codes included in the profile appear in brackets after the profile description.

b Click the appropriate item, or click Select All to add all of the displayed favorites to the order.

The Added Tests area displays the site ID and name of the associated lab, followed by each specified test.

• Specify one or more tests. In the box in the upper-left corner of the section, type the complete order code and then press Enter. The test associated with that code at your current lab appears in the Added Tests area.

If you do not know the exact order code, type the first few characters of the code or test name. A list of the first ten matching tests appears, excluding any aliases or handwritten order translations. (If the appropriate lab has not yet been established, the site ID and name of each lab that can perform the test appear in parentheses after the test name.) As you continue typing, this list displays more similar matches. When you see the appropriate test in the list, click that item to add it to the Added Tests area.

Alternatively, follow these steps to search for a test:

a In the box, type at least two characters that are not an asterisk (*).

You can optionally include an asterisk as a wildcard. For example, to find all order codes that begin with 123 (such as 1230, 1231, 1232, etc), you could type 123*. To find all order codes that end with 123 (such as 1123, 2123, etc), you could type *123.

Note: If you are searching for an alias (such as sugar water), do not include an asterisk. For aliases, the asterisk is treated like a character rather than a wildcard. For more information about aliases, see Aliases and Handwritten Order Translations.

b Click Search.

A list of all matching tests appears, including the order code and test description. If the specified text matches an alias, the word Alias appears in brackets after the test name. If the text matches a handwritten order translation, the word HOTT appears. If the text matches an alternate order code, the phrase Alt Mnemonic appears. (For more information about aliases, handwritten order translations, and alternate order codes, see Tests.) If you searched for a custom profile, the order codes included in the profile appear in brackets after the profile description.

If the appropriate lab has not yet been established, the site ID and name of the lab where the test can be performed also appear.

c In the search results, click the appropriate item.

The Added Tests area displays the site ID and name of the associated lab, followed by each specified test. In addition, the site ID and lab name no longer appear in the list of search results; the list is limited to tests associated with the chosen lab.

Notes:   • To find a custom profile, you must type the complete custom profile code. If you type a partial code or a custom profile description, or if you use an asterisk, the profile will not be found. • To place an order with a non-electronic lab, you might have to add tests to the system manually. For more information, see Managing Generic or Client-Defined Tests.

• Select one or more recommended tests. To view information about any recommended tests, click Lab Recommendations in the title bar of the Tests section. (This button appears only if recommendations are available.) The number of recommendations appears in parentheses after the button name.

To add one of the listed tests to the order, click the test. To hide the lab recommendations, click .

• Remove one or more tests. Click next to the order code in the Added Tests area, or click Remove All to remove all of the tests.

• Map one or more tests. If a message in the Added Tests area indicates that one or more tests need to be mapped, do one or more of the following:

• If the test was not previously mapped, click Map and then click the appropriate test in the list.

If none of the displayed tests are correct, type the appropriate order code or test name, click Search, and then click the appropriate test in the list. (For more information about searching, see the preceding section on specifying a test.)

The Added Tests area displays the mapped order code and test name, and the Map button no longer appears.

• If the test was previously mapped, and the order code and test name displayed in parentheses are correct, click OK.

The Added Tests area displays the mapped order code and test name, and the OK and Remap buttons no longer appear.

• If the test was previously mapped, and the order code and test name displayed in parentheses are not correct, click Remap and then click the appropriate test in the list.

If none of the displayed tests are correct, type the appropriate order code or test name, click Search, and then click the appropriate test in the list. (For more information about searching, see the preceding section on specifying a test.)

The Added Tests area displays the mapped order code and test name, and the OK and Remap buttons no longer appear.

Notes:   • After you add a test, you typically cannot add another test that is associated with a different lab. For example, if you added a CBC for the TMP lab, you cannot subsequently add a lipid panel for the MIA lab. However, this restriction might be overridden by order routing rules. • If a listed test name is too long to display in its entirety, an ellipsis (...) appears. You can position the pointer over the test name to see the complete description. • To sort the displayed tests, click the appropriate column heading. You can click the column heading again to reverse the sort order. The codes are sorted based on the value of the digits from left to right, regardless of the length of the code. For example, when the codes are sorted in ascending order, code 1234 would come before code 234. In addition, any codes that begin with a letter are grouped together after the numeric codes. • To view the orderable components of a listed panel, position the pointer over . (This feature does not apply to client-defined panels.) • To view details about a listed test, panel, or custom profile, click . You can also click the Proper Order of Draw link at the bottom of the Directory of Service Information dialog box to view information about drawing and handling specimens. If you accessed this information from the left side of the Tests section, from the Lab Recommendations pop-up window, or when mapping a test, you can click Add to add the item to the order. If you accessed this information from the Added Tests area, you can click Remove to remove that item from the order. • If you add a custom profile that contains an order code that is no longer valid (for example, if the lab no longer performs that test), the invalid order code does not appear in the Added Tests area. • If important information about a test is available, appears next to the order code. Position the pointer over this symbol to view the message. • If a test is associated with multiple order codes, the primary code is used for the order, no matter which code you specify. For example, if a CBC is associated with the primary code 6399 and the alternate code 42A, and you type 42A, 6399 appears in the search results instead. The alternate order code (mnemonic) appears in brackets after the test name.

2 If all of the ordered tests should be performed at the same lab (that is, if a Send to message does not appear above any test in the Added Tests area), go to step 4.

If a particular test should be performed at a different lab, the Added Tests area displays the site ID of the lab where the test should be performed. The order code used by the preferred lab appears in brackets in front of the test name (even if the codes are the same at both labs).

If there is a preferred client for the specified lab, or if you can access only one client at that lab, that client number appears automatically. If there is no preferred client and you can access more than one client at that lab, a Select One link appears next to Client.

In addition, if the patient uses insurance, an Ins area appears. If there is a preferred carrier, it appears automatically. If there is no preferred carrier, a Select One link appears next to Ins.

If the displayed information is acceptable, go to step 4. If you want to change the lab, client, or carrier, or if a Select One link appears anywhere, do one or more of the following:

• Change the lab. To perform the test at your current lab, click Override.

The Send to message disappears, as well as the order code in brackets.

Note: In some cases, clicking Override routes the tests to the carrier’s preferred non-electronic lab rather than to your current lab. To route those tests to your current lab, click Override for the carrier’s preferred non-electronic lab. If your current lab cannot perform a particular test, that order code is removed from the order, and a message advises you of this. You can subsequently change the lab and create a new order for that test.

• Specify the client. If a Select One link appears next to Client, or if you want to change the displayed client, click the Select One or client number link. On the Select New Client for Tests dialog box, click appropriate client In the Client list.

This list includes all of the clients that you can access for the specified lab.

As soon as you choose a client, the dialog box closes, and the client number appears in the Added Tests area.

• Specify the carrier. If a Select One link appears next to Ins, or if you want to change the displayed carrier, click the Select One or carrier link. On the Select New Carrier for Tests dialog box, click appropriate carrier In the Carrier list.

As soon as you choose a carrier, the Select New Carrier for Tests dialog box closes, and the mnemonic for the carrier appears in the Added Tests area.

3 If multiple tests should be performed at different labs, repeat step 2 for each lab.

4 If the specimen can be transported at different temperatures (such as room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen), in the Added Tests area, click the transport temperature that you plan to use for the specimen for each test.

The default condition is displayed automatically. If only one condition is accepted, only one condition appears in the list. In addition, if multiple tests have different transport temperatures, multiple requisitions will print, one for each condition.

5 To print the specimen requirements page when you print the requisition for this order, select the Print Specimen Requirements check box. Otherwise, leave that check box cleared.

The specimen requirements page contains a list of all of the specified order codes and test names, along with the preferred specimen and minimum volume for each.

Selecting or clearing this option here applies only to this order. You can set the default value for this option via your user profile.

Notes:   • This check box does not appear if you selected the Standing Order check box. The specimen requirements page is never printed when you create a standing order. • The specimen requirements page might not be printed for certain non-electronic labs, no matter how this option is set.

6 If an Additional Information section does not appear below the Tests section, provide the required order information (as described in Provide Order Information).

If an Additional Information section appears, go to one of the following sections, depending on what is appropriate for this order:

• Respond to the ABN Prompts

• Respond to the Insurance Coverage Rules

• Provide AOE Data

• Provide Pap Data

• Provide Template Data

• Provide a Preauthorization Code

Notes:   • Providing Pap data and responding to AOE questions that are not flagged with a red asterisk (*) is recommended but not required. • If you ordered a test that is associated with the AmeriPath Dermatopathology or AmeriPath Pathology template, you are not prompted to provide any template information online, but a form is printed with the requisition, and you can complete it after you print the requisition.