EHRs (Electronic Health Records) and patient portals may now send LOINC (Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes) codes to the MedlinePlus Connect system. MedlinePlus Connect responds with links to MedlinePlus consumer health information for the lab tests related to those codes.
This functionality is available in both the MedlinePlus Connect Web application and Web service. This new feature complements MedlinePlus Connect’s ability to respond to information requests for specific diagnosis or medication codes.
See details on implementing it via the Web application at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/connect/application.html and for the Web service at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/connect/service.html. NLM has also enhanced the MedlinePlus Connect demonstration pages to illustrate how MedlinePlus Connect replies to lab codes. Visit the Web application demo page at http://apps.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/services/demo.html and the Web service application demo page at http://apps.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/services/servicedemo.cfm.
The lab test responses are available for many of the most frequently used lab tests. NLM plans to further expand the lab implementation in the future.