Final answer:
Laboratory results can be sent to a hospital's electronic medical record (EMR) through health information exchange (HIE), which allows for the secure sharing of patient information among authorized healthcare providers.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to send laboratory results to a hospital's electronic medical record (EMR), healthcare providers typically use a method called health information exchange (HIE). HIE allows for the secure sharing of patient information, including laboratory results, among authorized healthcare providers. This process involves the use of standardized formats, such as HL7 (Health Level 7), to ensure compatibility and interoperability between different systems.
For example, when a patient undergoes laboratory tests at a medical laboratory, the results are generated in a digital format. These results can then be transmitted to the hospital's EMR system through secure electronic means, such as through a secure network connection or using a dedicated interface between the laboratory and the hospital's EMR system.
By utilizing HIE and securely transmitting laboratory results to a hospital's EMR, healthcare providers can access and review the patient's test results, incorporate them into the patient's medical record, and use them to inform their clinical decision-making and treatment plans.