Document Management - upload, categorize, and distribute attachments

The LIS Document Management feature lets you store any file type, organize with categories and tags, and control where each document is distributed. Use checkboxes to allow web portal access, include documents with HL7 billing (DFT) messages, and attach documents to result reports for EHR delivery.

What you can do

• Upload any file type (PDF, images, Word, Excel, instrument files, etc.)
• Organize with Categories and Tags for fast search and governance
• Control distribution per document via checkboxes:
  • Web access: make available for clients to view/download in the web portal
  • HL7 Orders: include with HL7 DFT files sent to billing partners (when supported). Only PDF format is supported
  • Lab results: attach to the patient’s result report and transmit to EHRs (e.g., via HL7 ORU, when supported) Only PDF format is supported
• Link documents to orders, patients, cases, tests, or keep them general (lab-wide files)
• View, download, and audit who accessed or changed each document

Typical uses

• Requisitions, consent forms, ABN/medical necessity docs
• Microscopy images, pathology photos, analyzer PDFs
• Reference lab instructions, packing lists, send-out reports
• Policies/SOPs, client-specific instructions
• Billing support (DFT attachments), clinical addenda for EHRs

Distribution behavior

• Web access: visible to authorized portal users; downloadable from the order/case
• HL7 Orders (DFT): included with billing messages to your billing company (per integration capability)
• Lab results: attached to the final report and transmitted to EHR destinations (per integration; may embed or reference the file)

Note: Actual attachment method (embed vs. link), supported file types, and size limits depend on your integration setup.

📘 Instructions: Add and configure a document

1. Open Document Management

• From the main menu, open Documents (or open an Order/Case and go to its Documents tab).

2. Upload

• Click Add/Upload and choose the file. Use a clear file name (e.g., “Requisition_2025-01-15.pdf”).

3. Classify

• Select a Category and add Tags (e.g., “ABN,” “Billing,” “Microscopy”).

4. Set distribution

• Check one or more (as needed):
  • Web access (portal)
  • HL7 Orders (DFT to billing)
  • Lab results (attach to reports/EHR)
• Add an optional description or note.

5. Link and save

• If you started from the order/case, the link is automatic. Otherwise, link the document to the relevant record(s).
• Click Save.

6. Verify

• If distribution is expected, confirm the document appears on the portal or is queued for HL7 per your delivery logs.

Best practices

• Always include patient identifiers in linked clinical documents (per policy); avoid PHI in file names for general documents.
• Use consistent Categories and Tags to simplify retrieval and reporting.
• Keep document sizes reasonable; compress or convert images to PDF for EHR/portal distribution.
• For EHR or billing delivery, confirm your integration supports the chosen file type; prefer PDF for universal compatibility.
• Maintain a versioning approach: replace or add new versions rather than overwriting without notes.

Security and audit

• Access is role-based; only authorized users can view/manage documents.
• All actions (upload, edit, link, download, distribution) are audit-logged with user, date/time.

Troubleshooting

• Not visible on portal: Ensure Web access is checked, the document is linked to the correct order, and the portal user has permissions.
• Not sent with billing: Verify HL7 Orders (DFT) is checked and your billing interface supports attachments; requeue if needed.
• Not attached to EHR results: Confirm Lab results is checked and the result has been released; verify allowed types/size with interface team.
• Can’t find a document: Search by Category/Tags, date range, uploader, or record link; standardize naming conventions to improve recall.

📘 Instructions