How to Add Covid-19 or any other single test to OpenEMR Procedures

Management and Administration
1

Hi Folks-
Covid-19 being the hot topic it is, it might be useful to post some quick instructions on adding a lab test for it to OpenEMR.

Please note that this is only how to add an order for a covid-19 lab test (or any other individual lab test, of course), for practices that already have their Procedures module configured, or their lab compendium loaded for use with an outside lab.

Also note that this is just a quick sequence of steps with no pictures and minimal explanation. And that the steps could be teased out of the complete instructions for setting up the Procedure modules, but here they are all in one place for this one task. If you need to get your Procedures module up and running, see the Wiki post, here:
https://www.open-emr.org/wiki/index.php/How_to_Add_Covid-19_or_any_other_single_test_to_OpenEMR_Procedures

  1. You need to be an Admin in your EMR

Adding the test to a configured Procedures Order module:

  1. Begin at Main Menu: Procedures/ Configuration

  2. Click ‘Add’
    If adding Covid-19 as a standalone test, click ‘+ Add Top Level’ button
    If adding it to an established panel of tests I’d click the ‘Add’ plus sign at the right end of the line the profile name is on

    From this point the steps are all the same for both cases.

  3. In ‘Enter Details’ select the Procedure Tier, ‘Procedure Order’

The popup expands to show all parameters that may be specified for this order.
4. Enter the parameters and information
All but the name, Sequence number and Identifying code are optional.
* Since you already have your Procedure Orders module configured you will have decided which ones you want to include.
Notes:
- the sequence number: if adding the order to a profile, make sure it’s different from the sequence numbers of the other orders in the profile.
- If adding as a top level (‘standalone’) order, give the sequence number some distance from other top level orders.
- the Identifying code: again, you will have established an in-house ID code protocol for your Procedures module.

  1. Click ‘Save’, bottom left.

Configure Procedures Order module to accept the results:

  1. Click ‘+ Add’ at the right end of the line the Covid-19 order is on

  2. Select ‘Discrete Result’

  3. Fill in the details
    Again, the sequence value must be different from other tests in the group
    the Identifying Code should conform with house conventions.

  4. Click ‘Save’

And there it is.

The second method is to add it to an existing lab compendium
Here using a Cerner-Tuality compendium, and the identifiers provided by a lab rep.
Be sure to get your own test names and Identifying Codes from your lab!
Also, I don’t have information about other labs’ compendia but I suspect they’re similar enough that this will still be useful.

Adding an order to a compendium is nearly identical to the steps outlined above.

  1. Main menu: Procedures/ Configuration.
    see the compendium.

  2. Click the + sign left of the compendium name to expand the list of tests.

  3. Move down the list and get the sequence numbers of the procedures before and after the new order’s desired position in the list.
    Decide on a value between those.

  4. Back at the top, click on the ‘Add’ at the right end of the line with the compendium name

  5. Select the Procedure Type list item ‘Procedure’

  6. Enter the Procedure Name and The Identifying Code as provided by the lab

  7. Enter any other info as desired.
    ** This ‘Sequence’ number is the one between the values of the procedures before and after it in the main list.

  8. Click ‘Save’
    The Covid-19 procedure will appear in the list.

Configuring Results

  1. Click the ‘Add’ at the right end of the test’s new line.

  2. Select Procedure Type ‘Discrete Result’

  3. Fill in the info
    Again, Identifying code is provided by the lab.

  4. Click ‘Save’

And that should give you what you need.

One customer was given identifiers for a second results panel, in case the test needed to be sent elsewhere for confirmation.
Those results would be returned to the practice with the name, ‘Covid-19 (sendout)’ results.
If that’s the case for you, simply repeat the last ‘Configuring Results’ step with the different results name and Identifying Code.

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