How to Order Labs and Receive Results Electronically

Overview

Bidirectional lab integrations let you send lab orders electronically and receive results directly in Cerbo — no faxing or manual entry required.

What Is a Bidirectional Integration?

Bidirectional integrations support both electronic ordering and electronic results. This differs from results-only integrations, which still require ordering by fax or paper. A full list of supported labs is available here.
 

Table of Contents

• Step-by-Step Directions
  • Step 1: Configure Your Order Entries
  • Step 2: Add Labs to the Order
  • Step 3: Select and Transmit Orders
  • Step 4: Complete the Transmission Dialog
  • Step 5: Confirm the Transmission
  • Step 6: Print Specimen Labels (Optional)
• Receiving Lab Results
• Troubleshooting

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Details

Step 1: Configure Your Order Entries

Each test must be linked to the correct lab and test code before it can be ordered electronically. If you haven't added your tests yet, see Add New Lab, Imaging, or Referral Order to the Orders/Labs Database first.

In the Modify Order dialog, check "This test is performed by a specific lab," select the lab, and enter its Test Code/Identifier. Contact your lab rep if you need the correct codes.
 

💡 Tip: If a test's identifier is missing or incorrect, it will be flagged and excluded from the transmission. Always verify codes with your lab before ordering.

Step 2: Add Labs to the Order

Orders can be placed from the Plan / Rx / Orders / Vaccines section of an encounter note, or from the Open Orders block on the patient's chart — both open the same Add/Schedule Orders dialog.

You can quickly add lab orders/panels using Chart Parts. Here is more information on that process.
 

1. Click the + button and select Add/Schedule Orders.
2. Search for and add the tests you want to run.
3. Confirm the Reasons for these tests (Dx) are populated and adjust if needed. If diagnoses are already added to your encounter note, they will pull in automatically. Click the red X to remove any from the order.
4. Select who should be billed: Bill to Client Account, Bill to Patient, or Bill to Insurance.
5. Click + Add These Orders, or + Add and Create Fax to also generate a fax requisition.
    

Step 3: Select and Transmit Orders

1. In the Open Orders panel — either from the encounter note or the patient's chart — check the orders you want to send.
2. Click Manage Checked and select Send to [Lab Name].
    

Note about Quest: If you use Quest, there is an additional step in the transmission workflow. See Ordering Labs Through Quest.

Note about LabCorp: LabCorp has a limit of 40 labs per order. This is a LabCorp limitation, not a Cerbo limitation.

Step 4: Complete the Transmission Dialog

• Specimen collection: Select Collected by the lab or Drawn here and sent to the lab. If in-office, set the expected draw date.
• Practice account number: Verify it pre-populated correctly.
• Requesting provider: Select the ordering provider.
• Billing: Choose Practice Account, Patient out-of-pocket, or Patient's Insurance.
• Orders to send: Tests missing a valid code will be flagged in red and excluded from the transmission.
• Fasting status: Indicate whether each test requires fasting.
• Associated diagnoses: Confirm the ICD-10 codes are correct.

Click Done! Transmit to lab.

Note: If you sent this lab by mistake or need to cancel the lab, you need to contact the lab directly.
 

Step 5: Confirm the Transmission

Cerbo will display a confirmation and generate a printable requisition, which is also saved to the patient's chart and available on their Patient Portal.
 

 

Step 6: Print Specimen Labels (Optional)

If drawing in-office, you can print a specimen label under Generate → Printable Labels → Lab Label.
 

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Receiving Lab Results

Results are transmitted back to Cerbo automatically and appear in the Imported Lab Results panel on your schedule page. For details on processing them, see Imported Lab Results.

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Troubleshooting

A test is flagged red in the transmission dialog

The test is missing a valid lab identifier. Go to Admin → Manage Orders, open the test, and add the correct code. It won't transmit until a valid code is saved.

"Could not match to patient" in Imported Lab Results

The result's patient info didn't match a chart in Cerbo. Manually assign it using the Assign Patient field.

The lab isn't listed in the "Send to" dropdown

Your integration with that lab may not be active. Contact [e-mail] to enable it.