Specimen Labels & Label Printers

Anytime you submit a lab order thru a Scalabull interface, you will immediately receive a specimen label PDF.

This label can be accessed from within your EHR, printed onto special label paper, and attached to specimens before they are collected by the lab. These typically include identifiers or barcodes that the lab will use to match specimens to an electronic order they've received.

This workflow applies to all labs except LabCorp. For users of LabCorp interfaces, see the LabCorp section below.

 

Label Sizes

We recommend printing specimen label PDFs on one of two sizes of label paper:

  • 30336 (1" x 2 1/8" )
  • 30252 (1 1/8" x 3 1/2")

These sizes accommodate most specimen containers, and our specimen labels are tested to fit into these sizes without warping or truncation of barcodes. 

 

Label Printers

Label printers are not provided by Scalabull or the practice's EHR vendor. Sometimes these are provided by laboratories, but generally, practices should plan to purchase their own equipment to meet their needs.

Each of the following entry-level label printers is widely used, supports the above label sizes, and will work for typical lab ordering volumes:

The DYMO Turbo 550 is the most robust printer of the above recommendations. We especially recommend a DYMO printer in either of these cases:

  • You want to print from multiple computers in your office
  • You handle hundreds or thousands of specimens per month at a single facility

 

LabCorp Interfaces

Please note that LabCorp provides a different type of specimen label, which is included directly inside of the requisition PDF (at the bottom of the first page). This requisition can be printed with a specific printer on special paper provided by LabCorp. 

Please communicate with LabCorp directly for any inquiries about printing requisitions or specimen labels for your LabCorp interface.

 

Technical Specs

Our label barcodes are customized to meet the needs of each laboratory, and in some cases, practices as well. We currently support the following options:

  • Code 128 barcode which includes the Order ID. This format is accepted by all barcode scanners we've encountered and has worked for the hundreds of labs we've worked with.
  • Order ID (sometimes also referred to as the Control ID, or Requistion ID)
  • The time of sample collection, formatted like so: MM/DD/YYYY HH:mm 
  • The time the label is printed (same formatting as sample collection time)
  • Patient Last Name, Patient First Name (up to 25 characters of the last name, 15 characters of the first name)
  • Patient Date of Birth, formatted like so: MM/DD/YYYY

 

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