Investigations

This topic provides help for requesting pathology tests and receiving results electronically.

Communicare supports the following incoming documents with embedded data:

Table 1. Supported incoming document encoding
Encoding Description Location Further information
HL7 (ORU):
  • HL7 (ORU) PIT
    • HL7 (ORU) + PDF - Communicare V19.2 and later
    • HL7 (ORU) + plain text

For incoming results.

Coded qualifiers such as HBa1C, HDL, LDL's are added to the corresponding qualifier fields in Communicare automatically (if the OBX lines are coded).

 Detail > Ix Results tab Communicare supports HL7 2.3
HL7 (REF):
  • HL7 (REF) + Ref
    • HL7 (REF) + RTF
    • HL7 (REF) + PDF
 For incoming letters and documents. Detail > Document tab Communicare supports HL7 2.3
Other:
  • CDA
  • TIFF
  • PDF
 For incoming letters and documents. Detail > Document tab If incoming letters or documents are listed on the Ix Results tab, ask the sender to send documents as HL7(REF) + REF files and not as HL7 ORU files.
PIT (PIT) Communicare still accepts PIT, however, coded qualifiers such as HBa1C, HDL, LDL, are not automatically added to the qualifier fields in Communicare and are not included in the qualifier summary, reports and graphs unless added manually to the patient's clinical record. Detail > Ix Results tab

Ask your lab to return HL7 (ORU) with embedded PIT instead.

If you are using Medical-Objects for receiving documents and results, you will only be able to receive PIT (PIT) files and will not be able to receive HL7 (ORU) files. Communicare is collaborating with Medical-Objects to resolve HL7 (ORU) compatability problems.

Communicate requires that PIT files are encoded with UTF-8.