Enabling faster, scalable exchange of lab orders and results
- Overview
- The Challenge
- The Objective
- The Solution
- The Impact
Overview
As healthcare ecosystems become more connected, laboratory services organizations need interoperability models that are fast, reliable and built for scale. A leading laboratory services enterprise engaged HCLTech to modernize its interface landscape and move them beyond fragmented, manual workflows.
By building secure, scalable connectivity for electronic lab orders and near-real-time results delivery, HCLTech helped the client streamline operations, strengthen data exchange and support a more responsive care experience.
The Challenge
Disconnected, manual lab workflows constrained turnaround, visibility and interoperability across a complex provider landscape.
- Manual test ordering workflows slowed turnaround times, increased administrative effort and raised the risk of transcription errors.
- Fax-based result sharing limited speed and visibility, affecting timely physician review and downstream care decisions.
- A fragmented landscape of electronic health records (EHR) platforms and interface engines made it difficult to standardize the connectivity at scale.
The Objective
The objective was to create a scalable, future-ready interface model that strengthened provider connectivity for consistently fast, informed clinical decisions.
- Create reliable interface connectivity between the laboratory organization and a diverse provider network for electronic ordering and automated results delivery.
- Enhance provider experience and support faster clinical decision-making through real-time access to lab results.
- Drive operational efficiency through a scalable delivery model and strategic right-shoring.
The Solution
HCLTech delivered an end-to-end interoperability model for reliable, bidirectional lab data exchange with speed, consistency and scale.
- Designed and operationalized a four-team model to manage the complete interface lifecycle.
- Connectivity coordinators validated account setup, contractual compliance and system readiness.
- Dedicated interface teams worked across EHR vendors, hospitals, physician practices and the client organization to build tailored interfaces.
- A certification team ensured new vendors and interfaces aligned to organizational and regulatory requirements.
- Go-live and post-go-live support helped stabilize deployments and accelerate adoption.
The solution strategy resolved multiple issues:
- Allowed seamless bidirectional exchange of Health Level Seven (HL7)-based Order Message (ORM) and Observation Result (ORU) messages.
- Executed remote testing across multiple EHR environments to validate lab order workflows.
- Resolved mapping, configuration and data-quality issues between EHR platforms and lab information systems.
- Provided go-live and post-go-live support to improve continuity, stability and user confidence.
- Supported offshore transition of connectivity coordination to unlock long-term cost efficiencies.
The Impact
By reimagining interface operations and standardizing interoperability workflows, HCLTech helped the client improve delivery performance, reduce backlog and establish a more scalable operating model.
The engagement also created a pathway to sustained cost optimization without compromising service quality.
- Achieved 100% SLA compliance for interface implementation timelines.
- Built more than 40,000 interfaces across hospitals and ambulatory care providers.
- Reduced backlog interface projects by 50% over two years.
- Enabled a projected $750K in cost savings over five years through offshore transition.
Conclusion
With a modernized interoperability model in place, the client was better positioned to deliver faster, more reliable exchange of lab orders and results across its provider network.
The transformation not only improved current operating performance but also created a scalable foundation for future growth. Going forward, the organization can support connected care delivery with greater confidence, efficiency and resilience.
