Integrations

• Lab system. Agree how an encounter and specimen accession number will be matched if the lab processes specimens elsewhere.
• Pharmacy system. Agree how medication, lot, quantity and authorization will be reconciled with an external dispensing system.
• Accounting system. Agree which charge and patient payment details are transferred, and who resolves a mismatch.
• Patient communication. If reminders are sent elsewhere, use the encounter date and current contact details as the handoff basis.

A connection is a setup decision. Identify a record owner, the source of each status, and a way to detect duplicate or failed transfers. Test a complete encounter with a specimen, a dispensation and a charge before relying on an integration. Keep clinical access limited to the people who need the patient record. Use implementation to plan the first operating cycle.