Integrating Electronic Systems for Requesting Clinical Laboratory Test into Digital Clinical Records: Design and Implementation

Abstract

Clinical laboratory tests are basic elements that support healthcare tasks such as disease detection, diagnosis and monitoring of response to treatments. Current laboratory information systems focus on the patient database, tests and results, with multiple modules available, connecting with the various analytical systems or work areas. However laboratory information systems functioned as “islands of information”, because their design was fundamentally inward-looking and disconnected from other healthcare computer applications. Actually, the Electronic Health Register (EHR) is considered by clinicians as a tool with great potential healthcare benefits. The EHR, in the sense of a unique and complete record of a patient’s healthcare and state of health, regardless of the healthcare level used, is a real attempt to eliminate these “islands of information” and need modules to act as “bridges” with the laboratory information systems. This type of module, which in generic terms may be referred to as a laboratory test request module, has become an essential feature of the EHR. These modules need to use a laboratory coding system as a common language for exchanging information, ensuring that tests and results are unequivocally identified. The development of the laboratory test request module requires the commitment of professionals and political authorities, being necessary time for their design and an adequate pilot phase. The laboratory professionals have to assume a leadership role in the whole process of design, development and implementation of these modules, integrating in the equipment of information technologies of healthcare providers. In our manuscript we review the elements that may prove electronic systems for requesting clinical laboratory test into digital clinical records and the key elements to move from theory to practice.