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.
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.
- Our clinicians will speak only with the scheduled provider unless prior authorization is arranged. No additional staff, personal, or patients, should be present during the consultation. DSL medical educators reserve the right to end the call if these standards are not upheld.
- Consultations must not occur in public to maintain confidentiality.
General Consultation Guidelines
- Be prepared with patient results and pertinent clinical symptoms/history and in an appropriate environment for the appointment.
- You are responsible for engaging 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.
- 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.
- If you need to reschedule, do so by calling or emailing Customer Service (CS) at least eight hours in advance.
- Follow-up appointments and questions are managed by the scheduling team and CS.
- For assistance connecting to a consultation, contact Customer Service during business hours.
Clinical Questions
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. Responses related to patient reports will be provided within 48 business hours.
Additional Educational Opportunities
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.
Scheduling a Consultation
To simplify the scheduling process, please ensure you are prepared when you call to book.
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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.
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Ensure you are listed as the ordering provider in the Diagnostic Solutions account.
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For non-ordering providers:
- Submit a medical records release form signed by the patient, along with their driver’s license, to grant permission.
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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.
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During scheduling, the team will verify:
- Accession numbers, test types, names, email addresses, and callback numbers.
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.