Setting Up AOE Questions

AOE questions are questions that the provider or user asks the patient when they send the test order out to their performing entity, for example, the patient's race; did they fast before the test?; what is the specimen's origin?; and other questions. Required questions are defined by the entity performing the test. The user does not make up their own questions about the test; they must come from the testing entity, such as a lab.

The question has a code that the test performing entity understands (both the question and the answer must be sent exactly as the performing entity (the lab or radiology unit ) requests, for example, you cannot send "fasting" as a question if the lab-defined question asks for "fast". A text description associated with each question makes it readable.

Some question's answers are optional, some are required. A flag that you can select on the test question in file maintenance makes the answer required. If the check box is turned ON an answer is required. When you select Save & Send, the Orders Module checks to see whether or not the question is required.

Sometimes the same question is asked for multiple tests. For example, if you have three tests that each ask about fasting, there is a flag on the question that lets you say if you have already answered this question for one test so that you don't have to ask the same question again for other tests submitted with the same group of orders.