Welcome to Scalabull's interfacing services!
In order to create a new interface, we require someone from each practice to submit a request following the instructions on this page. After submitting one request for each lab/rad, follow this guide to seek approval with each lab/rad.
Foreword: Please note that all interface requests must be approved by your laboratory or radiology provider before Scalabull can implement an interface. Approval is not guaranteed. If you are having trouble moving forward with an interface, please contact us at support@scalabull.com.
FAQ:
What types of interfaces do you create? We enable practices to seamlessly send orders from within their EHR to their lab or radiology provider of choice and also receive the corresponding results back into the patient's chart in the EHR. Common interfaces we create include:
- Regional laboratories
- Medical imaging providers
- Hospital outpatient laboratories
- Health Information Exchanges (HIEs)
- In-office laboratory equipment (for practices that run their own labs)
Aside from orders and results, we do not support demographics interfaces or immunization registry interfaces. If you're unsure whether we can help, contact us at support@scalabull.com.
Will my interface request be approved? We find that we're able to connect most practices that meet our criteria here. If you've submitted a request and followed the steps in our automated emails, but your interfaces still aren't approved by the labs/rads, reach out to us at support@scalabull.com and we'll see how we can help.
How much do interfaces cost? The industry norm is for laboratories to cover a one-time flat cost for interfaces, usually in the thousands of dollars per interface.
Do I need to pay for an interface? If your interface is not approved by the lab, it's possible for the practice to pay for some or all of the interface in order to proceed. We can discuss with you to determine if there's a solution that meets your needs.
How long will my interface setup take? For Scalabull interfaces, this varies between labs. Quest and LabCorp are typically the fastest - with setup times between 1 and 2 weeks being common after approval. Most other labs take less than 6 weeks after approval.
Do you support my lab's technical requirements? Interfaces are standard across the entire US - all laboratories and radiology providers use the same HL7 technology. We've connected with institutions across the US since 2013 and in every situation, we've found a robust solution to build an interface.
Results-only versus bi-directional? Lab interfaces can be configured to flow in two directions: you can receive results into your EHR, and you can send orders from your EHR. Many labs opt only to set up results sending because ordering is more complex. We typically push for bi-directional interfacing wherever possible to create the simplest workflow for customers.
What is the status of my interface request? If you've submitted a request to us here and your labs / rads have approved your interfaces, you should receive regular, automated status emails from us. If you are not receiving updates or want the latest status, please email us at support@scalabull.com.
Do orders and results messages contain demographic information? As per industry standards, orders messages will contain basic patient demographics, physician information, any insurance information you provide, diagnosis information required for billing by the lab, and tests you wish to order. Overall, this includes everything the lab needs to process samples they receive.
Results contain patient demographics, physician information, structured result data, and a visual PDF format of results (either provided by the lab or by Scalabull). The demographics are sufficient for matching patient charts within the EHR.
Do you already have an existing connection with my lab? You can find the organizations we're connected with here. Many of these connections are to health systems that contain hundreds of facilities, or labs with nationwide coverage. Even if you don't see your facility's name, we may have an existing connection we can leverage.
In most cases, however, connecting to new service providers is just as easy as connecting to a facility that we already work with.
How do imaging/radiology interfaces work? Orders can be submitted thru the EHR just as with lab interfaces. Results include transcriptions, and in some cases, the imaging facility will send an HTTPS link to a PACS viewer so that you can open a direct link to your PACS from within the patient chart in the EHR. However, images are not sent thru interfaces; you will not be able to receive medical images into your EHR (these can only be viewed with PACS / DICOM software).
For all other questions, please reach out to us at support@scalabull.com.