Electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) is the electronic transmission of laboratory results for
reportable diseases to public health agencies as
mandated by the State of Maryland or federal law. By replacing manual reporting of laboratory test results, ELR significantly enhances the accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of reportable disease data, thereby allowing public health agencies to respond more quickly to diseases of public health importance.
The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) requires the use of Health Level 7 International (HL7) version 2.5.1 messages for electronic transmission of ELR data.
Electronic Formats
HL7
Non-HL7 electronic methods
All other results must be reported electronically via HL7.
Onboarding Process (HL7)
In summary, the onboarding process includes a kick-off call, submitting a lab compendium of tests, sending HL7 v2.5.1 test messages for validation, feedback, and quality assurance (QA). This is followed by a parallel production phase where HL7 and manual reports are sent simultaneously– with MDH ELR onboarding team determining the length of time for each step. Once approved, the validated HL7 feed will be directed to the production version of NEDSS, MDH's infectious disease surveillance system, while manual reporting continues until MDH confirms that electronic reporting is accurate and consistent. MDH may also conduct maintenance reviews to ensure the ongoing accuracy and completeness of the HL7 messages. Please see
MDH's list of reportable conditions in Maryland for details on reportable diseases, required reporting timeframes, what data should be reported, where it should be reported, and through what methods.
Note: HIV results must not be reported by fax, including during validation.
Transport Method
HL7 messages must be sent via SFTP. Free SFTP client software such as WinSCP or Filezilla can be used. Please see the instructions for sending data to MDH using WinSCP. 
