Labs & Imaging
Lab orders and imaging results in FHIR follow a request-and-report pattern. A ServiceRequest represents the order, and a DiagnosticReport captures the results. Individual measurements are stored as Observation resources linked to the report.
Key Resources
| Resource | Description |
|---|---|
ServiceRequest | A record of an order for services such as diagnostic investigations, treatments, or operations to be performed. |
DiagnosticReport | The findings and interpretations of diagnostic tests performed on a patient. |
Specimen | A record of a sample to be used for analysis. |
Observation | A structured representation of measurements and simple assertions made about a Patient. |
Key Code Systems
| Code System | Description |
|---|---|
| UCUM | Used to define measurement units on a Specimen resource. |
| ICD-10 | Used to annotate Observation resources for tracking. |
| SNOMED | Used to define Specimen types and retrieval methods. |
| LOINC | Used to annotate Observation resources for tracking. |
Workflow Guides
- Order Labs and Imaging — end-to-end ordering workflow including CPOE,
ServiceRequestlifecycle, and logistics - Results and Review — receiving, structuring, and interpreting diagnostic results
Configuration
Catalog and coding setup for diagnostic ordering is covered under Clinical Configuration:
- Diagnostic Catalog — defining test menus, panels, specimen requirements, and administrative resources (
ObservationDefinition,SpecimenDefinition,ActivityDefinition,PlanDefinition) - Observation Reference Ranges — configuring reference, critical, and absolute value ranges for observations
- LOINC Codes — standardized coding for laboratory, clinical, and imaging observations
Integrations
Medplum is provider-agnostic and supports connecting to lab and imaging providers of all types. The Health Gorilla integration is the most commonly used, providing:
- Sending Orders — React components, bot-based order transmission, and AOE handling
- Receiving Results — structured FHIR result synchronization from Quest, Labcorp, and regional labs
- Sync Resources from Health Gorilla — manual backfill when webhooks miss results
For organizations connecting directly to a performing lab, see the HL7 Interface and On-Prem Agent docs.