Clinical Consultation Guidelines for Ordering Practitioners
Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory (DSL) Policy Guidelines
These DSL policy guidelines uphold Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules and ensure safety standards for clinicians and providers. As a testing laboratory, DSL is legally unable to treat, provide medical advice, treatment protocols, or diagnose patients. Our medical educators will interpret test results and relay significant findings but cannot offer treatment protocols.
Eligibility and Education Requirements
To participate in clinical consultations with the Med Ed team, the consulting individual must have sufficient clinical or scientific background to understand and communicate the fundamentals of our testing and results. Acceptable credentials may include (but are not limited to):
- Licensed Medical Doctor (MD/DO)
- Registered Nurse (RN) or Nurse Practitioner (NP)
- Physician Assistant (PA)
- Doctor of Chiropractic (DC)
- Registered Dietitian (RD) or Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS)
- Health Coach or similar professional with relevant clinical training and experience
If the consulting individual does not hold one of the above credentials, approval may be considered on a case-by-case basis, based on demonstrated experience and understanding of clinical testing concepts.
HIPAA Compliance Guidelines
- Clinicians will only review reports listed under the appointment.
- Reports are verified by the scheduling team as ordered by the consulting provider.
- Consultations must not occur in public and should not be recorded to maintain confidentiality.
- Our clinicians will speak only with the scheduled provider unless prior authorization is arranged. No additional staff, personnel, or patients, should be present during the consultation. DSL medical educators reserve the right to end the call if these standards are not upheld.
General Consultation Guidelines
- DSL offers a complementary clinical consultation with each test accession ID. This test accession must be relevant and ordered within the previous 6 months.
- Be prepared with patient results and pertinent clinical symptoms/history.
- Be in an appropriate, HIPAA compliant environment for the appointment. Please do not drive during the consultation.
- You are responsible for initiating the call with the medical educator at the time of your appointment. Call the extension number listed on your appointment booking. The given extension is only answered during the scheduled consultation, and the clinicians do not check for messages for that extension. If you need assistance connecting to a consultation, contact Customer Service (877.485.5336) during business hours.
- Consultations are limited to 30 minutes to accommodate tight schedules. Late arrivals must conclude at the scheduled time.
- Clinicians cannot offer treatment protocols, even when interpreting significant test findings or on a provider’s own results. DSL cannot provide treatment recommendations for pregnancy or lactation and advise users to consult a qualified healthcare provider for any health concerns.
Additional Educational Opportunities
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New users or frequent callers are encouraged to join group classes for additional education. Customer Service or sales representatives can provide information about DSL Academy or group class participation.
Clinical Inquires
Brief and specific questions may be addressed by our medical education team via email. Please send 1–2 specific clinical questions via email to Customer Service (cs@diagnosticsolutionslab.com). Responses related to patient reports will be provided within 48 business hours.
Conflict of Engagement
Diagnostic Solutions reserves the right to limit access to clinical consultations due to conflict of engagement. A conflict of engagement occurs when a practitioner publicly disseminates statements, content, or behavior that contradicts or damages the credibility of Diagnostic Solutions Laboratory, its tests, or its team while continuing to engage with company services.
Scheduling a Consultation
To simplify the scheduling process, please ensure you are prepared when you call to book.
- Provide the accession number you wish to discuss. Medical educators can only discuss the accession listed in the booking. Verify accession numbers before appointments and contact CS for changes or additions.
- Ensure you are listed as the ordering provider in the Diagnostic Solutions account.
- For non-ordering providers:
- Submit a medical records release form signed by the patient, along with their driver’s license, to grant permission.
- If a designated individual schedules consultations on your behalf, they must:
- Be listed under your account.
- Have their credentials on file to confirm they are qualified.
- During scheduling, the team will verify:
- Accession numbers, test types, names, email addresses, and callback numbers.
- If you need to reschedule, do so by calling or emailing Customer Service at least eight hours in advance.
- Follow-up appointments and questions are managed by the scheduling team and CS.
Key Reminder
DSL’s role is strictly to interpret testing results and communicate significant findings. Treatment protocols and medical advice are not provided under any circumstances, in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.
These guidelines ensure compliance, professionalism, and effective communication between providers and the DSL team.