Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR)

Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) is the electronic transmission from laboratories to public health of laboratory reports that identify notifiable conditions. The Washington State Department of Health maintains an ELR system, which provides data to public health disease investigators across the state via the state surveillance system. Expansion of ELR improves public health surveillance capabilities.

COVID Reporting

• Reporting COVID-19 Test Results | Washington State Department of Health

Promoting Interoperability

• Medicare and Medicaid Promoting Interoperability Program Basics | CMS

Is ELR Right for Your Facility?

• If your facility does not perform testing for reportable infectious diseases on site or if your facility has a very low volume of reportable disease laboratory findings, ELR may not be appropriate. If your facility is unable to create HL7 messages, then they do not qualify for ELR.
• ELR offers long-term benefits to both laboratories and public health. ELRs are critical for an effective public health response both for routinely reportable diseases as well as conditions of potential public health concern.

ELR will replace paper-based reporting for lab reporting for notifiable conditions. There are four phases to ELR: registration, onboarding preparation, validation, and Go-Live in production. Eligible hospitals must continue traditional reporting practices (i.e., fax, mail, web submitter) during implementation of electronic laboratory reporting until they complete all onboarding and quality assurance processes. Do not turn off traditional reporting methods until notified to do so.

Electronic Laboratory Reporting Notifiable Conditions Guidelines

Washington Department of Health strictly follows Washington Administrative Code (WAC) reporting requirements:

• 246-101-201 Notifiable conditions and laboratories.
  • Please also reference Rare Disease of Public Health Significance
• 246-101-205 Responsibilities and duties of the laboratory director.
• 246-101-210 Means of specimen submission.
• 246-101-215 Content of documentation accompanying specimen submission.
• 246-101-220 Means of notification for positive preliminary test results and positive final test results.
• 246-101-225 Content of notifications for positive preliminary test results and positive final test results.
• 246-101-010 Definitions within the notifiable conditions regulations.

Supplemental guidance is available to assist production ELR submitters with the WAC changes to electronic laboratory reporting requirements upcoming on January 1, 2023.

ELR does not meet the time frame required by Washington State law for reporting immediately notifiable conditions.

• Even if an eligible hospital is participating in ELR, all results that are immediately notifiable must continue to be reported by phone.
• Eligible hospitals will be required to participate in periodic quality assurance checks to ensure accuracy of reporting. Department of Health staff will contact data providers to schedule these activities.

Information for Submitting Lab Data to WA DOH via ELR

Washington state requires ELR data standardized to HL7 v2.5.1. DOH requires submitters to submit data electronically via OneHealthPort (OHP) or APHL Informatics Messaging Services (AIMS) to Washington State Health Information Exchange.

Contact DOH Production Support for more information at ELRProductionTeam@doh.wa.go.

Note: All data submitters must continue traditional reporting practices (i.e., fax, mail) during implementation of electronic laboratory reporting until they complete all onboarding and quality assurance processes. Do not turn off traditional reporting methods until notified to do so.