SAAS Medical Systems

https://saasmedical.com.au

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Document last updated on: 26/11/2020

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Pathology Guide

Overview 


SAAS Medical Systems SAAS Web and SAAS Desktop guide for ordering Pathology (and Radiology) and importing results to the patient's medical record.

Pathology Requests can be printed on Pathology Stationery or 'plain paper' Pathology Request templates where the Pathology Laboratory makes these available. 

Pathology Requests can be given directly to the patient, or emailed if this is supported by the Pathology Lab.

Results can be imported and attached to the patient medical record. HL7 and PIT formats are supported.

Pathology Requests   

Pathology Requests are initiated from the Consultation Records screen (see Clinical Tab as shown below) - or from a shortcut key where available).




 Pathology
 Results


SAAS Medical Systems cannot provide a pathology or radiology downloading `system. 


The results must be downloaded with am interface system provided either by the Pathology Provider or another 3rd party system (e.g. Fetch which is provided by Sonic).


Once the downloading system is installed, SAAS Desktop is configured to import the downloaded files (normally HL7 although legacy PIT format can also be imported).


Imported Results are initially held as PENDING ACCEPTANCE until the Results have been confirmed as correctly matched with the Patient.


Results received in HL7 format are converted to database records utilising the SAAS Medical Systems HL7 Interface Engine


Results will not appear in the patient’s medical record until the doctor or an administration staff member has processed the result via the Review Results Received - Pending Acceptance facility.

Access the Pathology Menu

The Pathology Menu is access from the Doctors Desk.


From the Doctors Desk - select the Clinical Management tab - then Pathology

Pathology Menu

HL7 Results - Review Results Received - Pending Acceptance

HL7 Results - View Options

HL7 is a very broad standard. The Results contained in an HL7 file as used in Australia - can be presented in a variety of formats.


The eample shown (above) - is displaying an EMBEDDED HTML result - i.e. This is an HTML representation of the HL7 Results data which has been pre-formatted by the sender (the Pathology Lab).


If the hl7 file contains embedded HTML - then this is shown in the Display Area by default.


This can be changed for each result to the standard SAAS Desktop display format by clicking the Pathology Results button.


If the hl7 file DOES NOT contain embedded HTML - then the results are shown as INTERPRETED HTML in the Display Area by default.


NOTE THAT THE INTERPRETED HTML MAY NOT SHOW ALL DATA AVAILABLE IN THE HL7 FILE. YOU ARE THEREFORE ADVISED TO ENSURE THAT THE INTERPRETED HTML FORMAT IS SUITABLE FOR THE DATA THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING FROM THE PATHOLOGY LAB.


IF IN DOUBT - CONTACT YOUR PATHOLOGY LAB OR SAAS MEDICAL SUPPORT.


Results can be viewed by selecting any of the 8 buttons that are ACTIVE (not grayed) - e.g. 



HL7 Results - Laboratory Results format

To activate the Laboratory Results display format - click on the button as shown.

HL7 Results - Image Display format

To activate the Laboratory Results display format - click on the button as shown.

HL7 Results - Other Viewing Options

To activate the Laboratory Results display format - click on the button as shown.

HL7 Results - View Results in Web Browser

To activate the Laboratory Results display format - click on the button as shown.

HL7 Results - Report Preview Print/Send

To activate the Laboratory Results display format - click on the button as shown.

HL7 Results - Matching with Patient Records

Results are matched by the patient name and date of birth.


Automatic matches are indicated with GREEN (the current Active Record in the list is coloured Yellow).


Results must be matched to the patient record and then ACCEPTED. This can be done for the Active Record or all MATCHED records.


Note that although you can access and view Results here in the Pending Acceptance screen - you will not be able to access this record via the Patient Medical Records screens unless you confirm (ACCEPT) Results as belonging to the attributed patient.





HL7 Results - ACCEPT Active Result

Results are matched by the patient name and date of birth.


Automatic matches are indicated with GREEN (the current Active Record in the list is coloured Yellow).


Results must be matched to the patient record and then ACCEPTED. This can be done for the Active Record or all MATCHED records.


Note that although you can access and view Results here in the Pending Acceptance screen - you will not be able to access this record via the Patient Medical Records screens unless you confirm (ACCEPT) Results as belonging to the attributed patient.





When you ACCEPT the Result - it then forms part of the patient's medical record.


It is removed from the Pending Acceptance list and the table is refreshed.







HL7 Results - DISCARD Active Result

In the case of duplicates or other HL7 data that you do not wish to retain as a permanent record, simply click on the DISCARD button.





HL7 Results - Create New Patient

If you have received a forwarded HL7 Result or any other unsolicited result that should be kept for a NEW PATIENT - then the Patient Record may indicate Not Found : Not Registered


To Create a NEW PATIENT record and ACCEPT the Pending Result - click the button.



A quick-entry Patient Registration screen is displayed - pre-set with the available Patient Identification data that is contained in the HL7 Result.


You can add any other details that you have on hand - or simply click Save to create the Patient Registration data and associate the incoming HL7 data with the patient medical record.

ACCEPT ALL Matched Results

Review the list of Results that are Pending Acceptance.


If you are confident that the automatic matching is correct - you can click ACCEPT ALL matched Results.



Search/Retrieve Pathology Results by Patient

When Pending Results are ACCEPTED as a patient medical record - they can be accessed and reviewed in the Search/Retrieve Pathology Results by Patient screen as well as directed from the Patient Medical Records screen.


In the Review Pathology Results by Patient screen - selected the patient from the Recent Patients list or use the Find Patient utility.


If the selected patient has Pathology records - these are summarised in the Pathology List as shown. There may be multiple results available. Click on the required record to display the Results

Configuring
Laboratory 
Interfaces

From the Pathology and Laboratory Results Menu, select the Configuration and Settings option


From here, you can select:

  • Pathology Clinical Terms
  • Pathology Test Lists
  • Maintain Pathology Labs


Pathology Clinical Terms

The Common Pathology Clinical Terms screen allows you to customise and add to the list of Clinical Terms that you use within your Practice.

Pathology Test Lists

Maintain the Pathology Test Lists required by you Practice for each Laboratory that you use. A new Laboratory can be added here


Select the Laboratory.



Maintain Pathology Labs

Select or Find the patient, then click on New Prescription.


Please note the Patient/Prescription Categories. The default is General (PBS) but should be changed if the medication is being prescribed for a Concession or DVA patient. Check Cards to review the patient's eligibility for concession prescriptions.



Pathology

Request

Templates


Print Mode

Pathology Request Templates are not "User Defined" (unlike Medical Reports).


SAAS Medical Systems custom programs each Pathology Template to match the Stationery or Template of each Pathology Laboratory or Provider.


Each Pathology Request Template can be used in :-

  • Overprint Mode
  • Plain Paper Mode


Overprint Mode:  If you have Stationery provided by your Pathology Lab - then Overprint Mode will fill-out the form in the required format.


Plain Paper Mode: Prints the Pathology Request on plain paper with the Template for each Pathology Lab. Use this mode if you want to print on plain paper OR email the request.


Standard Templates

A number of standard templates are available for Melbourne Pathology, ClinPath, Sullivan Nicolades, Douglas Hanley Moir.


Custom templates as well as new templates (e.g. COVID PCR Test etc.) will be provided on request.

As each template is associated with a Laborartory, in general all that is required is to select the Laboratory for which the Request is being directed.

SAAS Medical
HL7 Web Service

Prerequisites e.g. Fetch (Sonic) software

SAAS Medical Systems interfaces with the Results downloaded with am interface system provided either by the Pathology Provider or another 3rd party system (e.g. Fetch which is provided by Sonic).


The installation and configuration of Pathology Provider software is outside of our purview. However, if you do not aleady have this software, the installation and configuration is relatively easy.  You can also get advice from the Pathology Provider or an independent IT consultant. 


The SAAS Medical support team can also provide some remote assistance on request.


Pathology downloads must be configured and coordinated with SAAS Desktop - ie.  settings for the download location must be known and used to configure the SAAS Medical Systems HL7 Web Service.


SAAS Medical Systems HL7 Interface

The SAAS Medical Systems HL7 Interface works in conjunction with the Results downloaded from your Patholgy Lab.


To utilise the HL7 Interface - a SAAS Desktop instance needs to be running*. 


*Note that for larger Practices, a "Service" or "Daemon" can be utilised which negates the requirement to have an instance of SAAS Desktop running. Using SAAS Desktop simplifies to the installation process.


When Results in HL7 format are downloaded from your Pathology Provider - they are accessed by the HL7 Interface.


In a pre-determined time interval, the HL7 interface checks for arriving Results. These Results are then automatically submitted to the SAAS Medical Systems HL7 Translation Engine via our pre-configured secure private Web Service.


The Web Service then returns interpreted Results which are then saved to the privare and secure database for each Practice. Results are variously enterpreted for display as database records in Text, Image, PDF, and HTML formats.

Reports, Communication
and Patient Recalls