AOE Codes

With our new SoftLAB Laboratory Information System, the Ask at Order Entry codes are now included with the MML test setup, in both the PDF and Excel versions, instead of listed in a separate spreadsheet.

Some of MML tests, such as microbiology cultures and determination of heavy metal ion concentration require additional information to be transmitted with the laboratory order.  Examples of the “Ask at Order Entry” (AOE) type of information required include: the specimen source, collection duration, and patient demographic information, etc. which can be submitted through the MayoAccess Batch Processing screen  or transmitted electronically to MML via an established HL7 interface.

Most Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) can generate and transmit correct HL7 messages as NTE comments or in specific OBX fields. The OBX method is preferred by our MML clients because the send out test will be automatically marked as “ready” for batching on the MayoAccess Batch Processing screen, versus “incomplete” if the AOE information is sent as an NTE comment.

An AOE question code is required to be located in OBX-3, with the “answer” in OBX-5. See the example below for Cortisol, Free, Urine test, TEST ID CORTU (secondary ID 8546)

OBX|1|ST|TM93^Collection Duration|01|24
OBX|2|ST|VL47^Urine Volume|01|1600

If the AOE question is listed as “Reportable” in the test setup, that question will be returned in the HL7 laboratory result using the same code. In the example shown above, both TM93 and VL47 are also result codes would be returned with the laboratory result and should be built in the LIS test dictionary.

MML tests which are currently built in our client’s LIS test dictionaries that were previously built with LAB3 question codes prior to the SoftLAB go live do not need to be rebuilt with the new SoftLAB codes. However, all MML tests which are added after the LIS go live should be built using the new SoftLAB codes.

Comparison of LAB3 and SOFT AOE Codes for Cortisol, Free, Urine

LAB 3 Order Code	LAB3 Question Code	Question	Reportable? (Result Code Returned)	LAB 3 Result Code
8546	755	Collection Duration	Yes	755
	756	Urine Volume	Yes	756
SOFT Order Code	SOFT Question Code	Question	Reportable? (Result Code Returned)	SOFT Result Code
CORTU	TM93	Collection Duration	Yes	TM93
	VL47	Urine Volume	Yes	VL47

Several of the culture-based MML microbiology tests are required to be rebuilt with the SoftLAB format because of a change in the number of results returned. These MML tests typically have a “Q” prefix for the AOE question code.

Comparison of LAB3 and SOFT AOE Codes for Bacterial Culture, Aerobic, Respiratory

LAB 3 Order Code	LAB3 Question Code	Question	Reportable? (Result Code Returned)	LAB 3 Result Code
50003	50039	Specimen Source	Yes	50039
SOFT Order Code	SOFT Question Code	Question	Reportable? (Result Code Returned)	SOFT Result Code
SPUT	Q00M0055	Specimen Source	No	None