Working with Laboratory Orders







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To enter, update, or delete a laboratory order, complete the following steps from the AWARDS Home screen:

    1. Click Charts from the left-hand menu, and then click Medical.  The Medical fly-out menu is displayed.
    2. Click Laboratory Orders.  The Laboratory Orders index page is displayed.
    3. Click the Program drop-down arrow in the upper-right corner of the page and select the program associated with the client for whom the laboratory orders are to be worked with.

  NOTE: For clients admitted to multiple programs, laboratory orders are not shared across programs.

    1. Click the Client drop-down arrow and select the client for whom laboratory orders are to be worked with.

  TIP: If the laboratory orders to be worked with are for a former (discharged) client, first click the Archives toggle to the right of the client selection list.

The index page is automatically refreshed to display any existing laboratory order records for the selected client.

  TIP: When working on the index page, records are easily accessible using the following tools and navigation features:

"Show Records" display options - By default the index displays all laboratory records.  To limit the display click one of the following options under "Show Records" in the left-hand menu:

     - Available for Deletion - Limits the display to only those records that can be deleted, which excludes any submitted through the E-Labs platform.
     - E-Lab Orders - Limits the display to only those records submitted through the E-Labs platform.

The E-Labs Orders option is only available if your agency has subscribed to the optional E-Labs feature and you have been granted permission for it by Foothold Technology.

Sorting options - By default, records in the index are sorted chronologically.  Click a column header in the data table to sort the index by a different type of data.  Click the heading again to reverse the sort. 

Navigation options - 10 records are displayed on the page by default. To access records on subsequent pages of the index (when applicable), click the arrows in the bottom-right corner of the table.  To display 25 or 50 records at a time, click the Show drop-down to the left of the record count, also in the bottom-right corner, and make a selection.

Once you select records on the index, a count of how many total records are selected is displayed in the action bar. Selections are maintained while moving from one page of the index to the next; meaning, you can select records on the first page (showing records 1-10 by default) and move to the next page (displaying records 11-20) without losing the selections made on the first page. Links for Show all selected records and Uncheck All are available beneath the index table for easy navigation.

Search and filtering options - Search field is available on the action bar along with a corresponding Filter by drop-down list.  To search the contents of the index (including those records not currently displayed on the page), enter a value in the Search field.  The index is automatically updated as you type.  To further narrow your search, use the Filter by selection to indicate whether the search should look at data in "All Columns" (the default) or a specific column.

ReporBuilder access - The Laboratory Orders ReportBuilder link on the left-hand menu bar provides a shortcut to access the ReportBuilder for this feature.  For instructions on using that ReportBuilder, click here 

    1. At this time, complete one or more of the following  tasks as needed:

   Add a new laboratory order - To do so, click the Add New icon from the action bar above the laboratory orders table.  A new data entry page is displayed.  Configure the fields and options on this page as necessary, and then click Save.  The laboratory order is saved, and a confirmation page is displayed.

  TIP: For more information on each field/option available on the data entry page, see Laboratory Orders Fields / Options.

   Add a new E-Labs order - To do so, click the Add New E-Labs Order icon from the action bar above the laboratory orders table.  Continue with step 6.

  NOTE: This option is only available if your agency has subscribed to the optional E-Labs feature and you have been granted permission for it by Foothold Technology.

IMPORTANT! In order to use label printing functionality that is a key component of the E-Labs platform, you must use Internet Explorer 11 as your browser, and you must have a Meadco download installed.  Please confirm that your computer is configured correctly before clicking the Add New E-Labs Order icon.

   Update an existing laboratory order - To do so, click the record to be updated, or click the checkbox to the left of that record and then click the edit icon from the action bar above the laboratory orders table.  The data entry page is displayed.  Make changes to the information on this page as needed, and then click Save.  The laboratory order record is saved, and a confirmation page is displayed.

  NOTE: The edit option is not available for laboratory orders submitted through the E-Labs platform in a limited capacity only.  Specifically, each field/option value can only be edited once after the lab order has bee submitted and results received.  After a field/option's value has been recorded or changed once, it becomes read-only.

  TIP: For more information on each field/option available on the data entry page, see Laboratory Orders Fields / Options.

   View or print an existing laboratory order - To do so, click the checkbox to the left of the record to be viewed/printed, and then click the view icon from the action bar above the laboratory orders table.  A read-only version of the record is displayed and can be printed as needed using your browser's print option.

   Delete an existing laboratory order - To do so, click the checkbox(es) to the left of the record(s) to be deleted, and then click the delete icon from the action bar above the laboratory orders table.  A confirmation message is displayed.  Click OK to proceed with the deletion.  The selected record(s) are deleted and the updated index is displayed.

  TIP: Prior to selecting records to be deleted, click Available for Deletion from the left-hand menu.  The index is automatically refreshed to show only those records that can be deleted (those for laboratory orders not submitted through the E-Labs platform).

  TIP: To close out a laboratory order rather than delete it, update the order by entering a value in its Inactive Date field.  Doing so indicates that the order is no longer in effect, while preserving the client's laboratory orders history.

   View or print an existing E-Lab order requisition - To do so, click the checkbox to the left of the record to be viewed/printed, and then click the Show E-Lab Order icon from the action bar above the laboratory orders table.  A printable order requisition generated in the E-Labs platform at the time the order was submitted is now displayed in a secondary window.  (Check your browser's pop-up blocker settings if this window is not displayed.)  If necessary, print the record using your browser's print option.  Close the secondary window when viewing is complete.

  NOTE: This option is only available if your agency has subscribed to the optional E-Labs feature, you have been granted permission for it by Foothold Technology, AND the corresponding laboratory order is an E-Labs order.

IMPORTANT! In order to use label printing functionality that is a key component of the E-Labs platform, you must either:

a) use Internet Explorer 11 as your browser, and you must have a Meadco download installed
- OR - 
b) have cross browser printing functionality enabled. 

Please confirm that your computer is configured correctly before clicking the Show E-Lab Order icon.

   Return to the Laboratory Orders index - To do so, click the To Index icon from the action bar while working in a laboratory order record to return to the index page.  You can also return to the index page at any time by clicking Laboratory Orders from the breadcrumbs trail below the AWARDS navigation bar.

The process of working with laboratory orders is now complete.  The steps that follow are relevant only when submitting an e-lab order through the E-Labs platform.

    1. Click CONTINUE. The laboratory orders information is saved and the updated Laboratory Orders - Index page is displayed.  The process of working with laboratory orders is now complete, and the steps that follow do not apply; they are relevant only when submitting an e-lab order.
    2. In order to create and submit an E-Labs order for the selected client, key demographic data must exist for him/her in AWARDS; specifically, First Name, Last Name, Address, City, State, Zip, and Phone.  If any of the required information is missing, a pop-up is displayed to notify you.  Open the client's face sheet from within the Profile module to fill in the necessary information, and then repeat the steps above.

If all of the required information is present in AWARDS, the E-Labs platform is displayed in a second window on top of AWARDS.  (Check your browser's pop-up blocker settings if this window is not displayed.) A pop-up window is displayed to let you know that this has taken place.

    1. Configure the fields and options on the E-Labs order form as necessary.

  TIP: For more information on the fields/options available on this form, see E-Lab Orders Fields / Options.

    1. Click Validate Order.  If additional information needs to be collected for one or more of the tests ordered, a Test-specific information page is displayed; continue with step 12. When additional test information is not needed, the printable order form label is displayed (as shown below); continue with step 10.
    2. Fill out the additional test information page as needed, and then click Save Order.  The printable order form label is displayed.  

    1. Confirm that the data on the label is correct, and then click Print & Send.  The order is now sent to the lab and the order information is automatically synced back into AWARDS.

WARNING! You should NEVER use the Print or Create Another options on the label page.  Doing so will NOT sync the order into AWARDS, and will NOT alert the lab that the order has been created.

    1. At this time, print the label; it must accompany the specimen or be handed to the client if he/she will be taking it to the lab/PSC.

IMPORTANT! In order to use label printing functionality:

a) use Internet Explorer 11 as your browser, and you must have a Meadco download installed
- OR - 
b) have cross browser printing functionality enabled 

    1. Close the E-Labs browser window.  The AWARDS Laboratory Orders index page is displayed and refreshed to include the new E-Lab order.

IMPORTANT! E-Labs results are sent to AWARDS every two hours.  When a result is received for the lab order submitted above, a message will be sent within the AWARDS Messages module to the ordering physicianThat physician will also receive an email message to his/her work email address (as recorded under Staff Information, Notifications, or Password & Security)indicating that a new result is available in AWARDS.  The AWARDS message will contain a link to view the results directly, while the email will only provide a notification that a result is available in AWARDS, without providing access to those results or any protected information.

  TIP: For more information on the various ways to view results once they've been received (aside from using the link in the corresponding AWARDS message as noted above), click here.

The process of working with laboratory orders is now complete.

A Note on Cross Browser Printing Functionality

Prior to July 2021, agencies had to use Internet Explorer 11 in order to print lab requisition orders and labels within the AWARDS E-Labs.  Now, in order to prepare for the end of support for Internet Explorer in June 2022 Change Healthcare (our E-Labs partner) has released Cross Browser Printing functionality that converts requisition orders and labels to PDF so that they can easily be printed regardless of browser.  This feature is available to E-Labs subscribing agencies upon request.

       

Requesting E-Labs Cross Browser Printing

This functionality is not turned on automatically - it must be requested.  To make a request please submit a ticket to the Foothold Help Desk.  Keep in mind that this change will be made for your entire database, so once applied the new printing option must be used.  If you would like to test Cross Browser Printer before making the transition, please let the Help Desk know and we can provide you with a temporary demo account.

Using Cross Browser Printing

Once enabled using Cross Browser Printing in AWARDS E-Labs is straightforward. On the final requisition page users will click Send and Print. Once they do, they'll be brought to a page that shows the requisition form on one side and the label on the other. To print the requisition form, click the Printer Icon next to the requisition form (on the left) and select your "office" printer from the drop-down. To then print the label, click the Printer Icon next to the label (on the right) and select your "label" printer from the drop-down. Once you've printed both items, close the window to return to AWARDS after sending an order.

  https://demodb.footholdtechnology.com/help/?11945