VistA Lab Enhancements (VLE) comprises three VistA Laboratory enhancements (1) Auto Verification, (2) Anatomic Pathology (AP) Order Dialogue, (3) Microbiology. Auto Verification establishes method for automatic review of test results based on lab-established set of boundaries (Rules). AP Order Dialogue establishes method for ordering clinicians to provide required patient-specific, procedure-specific, and specimen-specific information to facilitate specimen processing by pathologists. Microbiology establishes standardized reporting of Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and other Multidrug-Resistant Organisms (MDRO) across the VA enterprise.

Auto verification will improve and enhance patient safety by enabling faster and automatic review of test results.

Electronic AP Orders to improve information exchange between ordering clinicians and pathologists; improved specimen submission and receipt process; required for interoperability with mandated specimen collection application (BCE).

Microbiology Enhancements to VistA lab shall provide ability to identify and report standardized information to prevent and control patient infections.