Primarily you can place the electronic lab orders from the charting elements ribbon (Results/Orders Queue section); however, you can also place them from the Labs link in Treatment Plan. Manual lab ordering is only possible through Treatment Plan. Expanding the Labs link reveals 2 radio buttons: Manual Lab Order and eLab Order. By default, the eLab Order radio button is selected. This is only when the electronic lab ordering is configured for your system for the selected order set; otherwise, a list of manual orders appears without asking for a choice. You can select an appropriate option to place the orders.
In manual lab ordering, there are the 2 ways you can enter the notes: common notes for all the tests and line item level notes for each test performed on the patient. The ready-made templates can be used to insert the notes. The user can configure these templates in the system, also known as macros. The order status can be recorded as performed, reviewed, etc. If the lab test you are looking for is not in the list, you can use the Personalize icon 
to configure the desired lab test.
Once manual or electronic orders are placed, they can be viewed on the Labs ribbon along with the CPT code, number of units ordered, diagnosis codes attached to the order, modifiers, and generalized notes.
Notes:
| • | Placing a lab order electronically or manually is one of the criteria to increase denominator and also the criteria to increase numerator for the “Core 1c: CPOE for Lab Orders” of MU-2. Please refer to the above section in Meaningful Use Stage – 2 User Guide for more details. |
| • | Placing a lab order electronically or manually is one of the criteria to increase denominator for the “Core 10: Incorporate clinical lab test results as a structured data” of MU-2. Please refer to the above section in Meaningful Use Stage – 2 User Guide for more details. |
To place lab orders from Treatment Plan:
| 1. | On the Treatment Plan screen, click the Labs link. Two radio buttons are shown: Manual Lab Order and eLab Order. |
| Note: By default, the eLab Order radio button is selected. If electronic lab ordering is not configured, then the system doesn’t ask for a choice. |
| 2. | To order the labs electronically, select the eLab Order radio button. Selecting eLab Order reveals the screen to place an order electronically. This is the exact screen that is originally opened from the Results/Orders Queue section. Refer to the Placing Orders Electronically section to know how to place an electronic lab order. |
| 3. | To order the labs manually, select the Manual Lab Order radio button. |
| 4. | Selection of Manual Lab Order reveals the screen to place an order manually. |
| • | Enter any generalized notes pertaining to all the lab tests being ordered. |
Note: Click the 
icon near the Note box to use the preconfigured notes added with the help of macros. The macros can be configured from the Administration > Treatment Plan > Labs section.
| • | To search any specific lab order you can use quick search panel that appears on the right just above the listed lab orders. |
| • | From the list of tests that are displayed along with the CPT code, select the check boxes near the test name to order them. |
| • | Click the Plus icon ( ) near the test name to expand the test details. |
| • | Select the order Status (Pending, Reviewed, Performed, Completed, Late Pending, Authorization Pending, or Ordered) from the drop-down list. |
Notes:
| o | The order statuses are hard coded in the system. |
| o | On selecting Pending, Late Pending, and Authorization Pending options, a new field appears named “Schedule Date.” This helps to view a list of scheduled tests when viewing C-CDA file from Facesheet. |
| o | On selecting Reviewed, Performed, or Completed status, the system considers that the result is recorded for the test and moves the test into the Results tab on the Results/Orders Queue screen. |
| • | Enter any notes pertaining to the selected lab test. |
Note: Click the icon near the Note box to use the preconfigured notes added with the help of macros. The macros can be configured from the Administration > Treatment Plan > Labs section.
| • | Select Duration from the list. |
Note: Click the icon to configure or update the CPT details recorded for the duration.
| • | You can configure the Interpretations by clicking the wheel icon. |
| • | Enter the number of units to be ordered. |
| • | Click the magnifier icon ( ) to search for modifiers and select them, or you can also type in the box if you know the modifier. Maximum 4 modifiers can be added. |
| • | Hover mouse over the Illness section. A list of illnesses recorded in the Diagnosis section of that encounter appears for selection. |
| • | Select the desired user or user group to whom you want to assign To Do for this specific test using Assign To Do drop-down and click  . |
| 5. | Once the lab orders are placed, manually or electronically, they can be viewed on the Labs ribbon along with the CPT code, number of units ordered, diagnosis codes attached to the order, modifiers, and generalized notes. |
Note: Recording the units, modifiers, and illnesses helps the practice management (PM) users to import these details automatically when creating a charge.
