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Benefits of EHR Integration With Reference Labs
Integrating electronic health record (EHR) systems with reference labs for biomarker testing offers several advantages:
✓Streamlined Ordering and Results:
Eliminates manual processes and reduces administrative burden.
✓Improved Turnaround Time:
Enables more timely treatment decisions.
✓Reduced Errors:
Minimizes risk of errors from manual data entry and transcription.
✓Improved Communication:
Enhances timely exchange between providers and reference labs, ensuring results are readily available in the EHR.
✓Optimized Treatment Planning:
Enables quicker access to critical genomic information, leading to faster, more personalized treatment plans and better patient outcomes.
✓Enhanced Data Insights:
Improves reporting capabilities by leveraging discrete genomic components, enabling easier tracking of utilization metrics and identification of patient cohorts.
Roadmap to EHR Integration
In 2024, the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) developed the EHR Integrations for Biomarker Testing Roadmap to guide cancer programs through the process:
Lay The Groundwork
It is important to have a strong foundation to implement, expand, and sustain EHR integrations designed to optimize the biomarker test ordering process. Learn the basics of EHR integrations, assess institutional buy-in, and act by conducting an organizational needs assessment.
Prepare The Care Team
As the cancer program plans to implement EHR integrations, prepare all members of the care team. Learn about the role of clinical and nonclinical staff in EHR integrations, assess staff and communication needs, and act by developing a project plan.
Implement The Initiative
Implementing an EHR integration can require different resources depending on the requirements of the EHR and the reference laboratories that perform biomarker testing. Learn how to choose an integration plan and select a reference laboratory, assess clinical workflow and readiness, and act by refining and implementing the initiative.
Evaluate The Progress
It is important to continually evaluate progress.
Learn what to evaluate, assess progress, and act by sharing results with the team.
Project Planning Tips
✓Clinical Champions:
Identify and engage key champions who will advocate for and support the integration process.
✓Precision Medicine Oversight Committee:
Establish a dedicated committee to oversee the integration project and ensure alignment with organizational goals.
✓Administrative Leadership:
Secure adequate resources and support for the project.
✓Coordinated Project Management:
Employ a structured project management approach with 1 contact person who is responsible for clear timelines and milestones.
✓Thorough Testing Plan:
Develop and execute a comprehensive testing plan to validate the integration and identify potential issues.
✓EHR Result Display Validation:
Ensure test results are displayed correctly and clearly within the EHR system.
✓Plan for Order Updates and Optimization:
Allocate time post-go-live to track updates, build clinical enhancements such as smart phrases, and develop decision support tools using discrete genomic results.
EHR Integration Options and Examples
Some EHRs, like Flatiron’s OncoEMR, offer molecular profiling integration capabilities and have collaborated with several reference labs to submit test orders, track real-time status updates, and receive the test results directly into the patient record. A list of reference laboratories that have built-in lab-result coordination with OncoEMR can be found at flatiron.com/interfaces.
EPIC users have 2 primary methods for integrating with reference labs:
Direct Interface (HL7):
AURA (Orders and Results Anywhere Network):
Choosing Between Direct Interface and AURA:
AURA significantly simplifies the integration process but offers fewer customization options.
A direct interface may be necessary if the cancer program has more specific requirements but needs ongoing maintenance for interface upgrades.
Not all reference labs are on the AURA network. View the most current list of reference laboratories by logging in with EPIC credentials at showroom.epic.com.
Explore additional planning and implementation resources at accc-cancer.org/EHR-Integration.
In partnership with:
This resource was made possible by support from:
The Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) provides education and advocacy for the cancer care community. For more information, visit accc-cancer.org.
© 2025. Association of Cancer Care Centers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission.
