Template  SPM - Specimen

This field contains the sequence number. This field is used to identify SPM segment instances in message structures where the SPM segment repeats.

This field contains a unique identifier for the specimen as referenced by the Placer application, the Filler application, or both.

This field is not required, as there are use cases in which a unique specimen identifier may not exist. In the first scenario, a placer application may initiate an observation request against an existing specimen without uniquely identifying the specimen. Additionally, in the case of the TCU_U10 message structure, used in Automated equipment test code settings messages, the SPM segment is used to define required characteristics of the specimen. As such, TCU_U10 uses SPM to define a virtual specimen, and a specific specimen ID would not exist. Filler applications would be expected to assign a Specimen ID and populate this field accordingly.

This field contains the identifiers for the specimen or specimens that contributed to the specimen that is described by the segment instance.

If this field repeats, then SPM-11-Specimen Role should be valued with "L" (pooled). The repetitions of this field then carry the specimen IDs of the parent specimens contributing to the pool.

This field describes the precise nature of the entity that will be the source material for the observation.

Any physical entity that may have observations made about it may qualify as a specimen. The entry in this attribute describes the specific entity as precisely as possible, whether that is a complex organism (e.g., an ostrich) or a specific cellular mass (e.g., a specific muscle biopsy).

This attribute corresponds to the first component of OBR.15 – Specimen Source and SAC.6 – Specimen Source component 1 – Specimen source name or code. These components, and the SPS data type, were deprecated upon the development of this segment.

A nationally recognized coding system is to be used for this field. Valid coding sources for this field include:

• HL7 table 0487 – Specimen Type (replaces HL7 table 0070 – Specimen source codes)
SNOMED, etc.
• Veterinary medicine may choose the tables supported for the components of this field as decided by their industry.

This field contains modifying or qualifying description(s) about the specimen type

The use of this attribute is to modify, qualify or further specify, the entity described by SPM-4 -Specimen Type. This is particularly useful when the code set used in SPM-4-Specimen Type does not provide the precision required to fully describe the specimen. For example, if the specimen was precisely described as ‘capillary venous blood’ but the code set employed only provided ‘venous blood,’ this attribute could be employed to add the modifier ‘capillary.’

Refer to User-Defined Table 0541 Specimen Type Modifier for suggested values.

This field identifies any additives introduced to the specimen before or at the time of collection. These additives may be introduced in order to preserve, maintain or enhance the particular nature or component of the specimen. Refer to HL7 Table 0371 – Additive for valid values.

Describes the procedure or process by which the specimen was collected.

Any nationally recognized coding system might be used for this field including SNOMED; alternatively the HL7 defined table 0488 may be used. Veterinary medicine may choose the tables supported for the components of this field as decided by their industry.

Specifies the source from which the specimen was obtained. For example, in the case where a liver biopsy is obtained via a percutaneous needle, the source would be ‘liver.’

Any nationally recognized coding system might be used for this field including SNOMED; alternatively the HL7 defined table 0070 may be used. Veterinary medicine may choose the tables supported for the components of this field as decided by their industry.

This field contains modifying or qualifying description(s) about the specimen source site

The use of this attribute is to modify, qualify or further specify, the entity described by SPM-8 – Specimen Source Site. This is particularly useful when the code set used in SPM-8 does not provide the precision required to fully describe the site from which the specimen originated. For example, if the specimen source site was precisely described as ‘left radial vein’ but the code set employed only provided ‘radial vein,’ this attribute could be employed to add the modifier ‘left.’

Veterinary medicine may choose the tables supported for the components of this field as decided by their industry.

Refer to User-Defined Table 0542 – Specimen Source Type Modifier for suggested values.

This field differs from SPM-8-Specimen Source Site in those cases where the source site must be approached via a particular site (e.g., anatomic location). For example, in the case where a liver biopsy is obtained via a percutaneous needle, the collection site would be the point of entry of the needle. For venous blood collected from the left radial vein, the collection site could be “antecubital fossa”.

Veterinary medicine may choose the tables supported for the components of this field as decided by their industry.

Refer to User-Defined Table 0543 – Specimen Collection Site for suggested values.

This field indicates the role of the sample. Refer to User-defined Table 0369 – Specimen role for suggested values. Each of these values is normally identifiable by the systems and its components and can influence processing and data management related to the specimen.

If this field is not populated, then the specimen described has no special, or specific, role other than serving as the focus of the observation. Such specimens include patient, environmental and other specimens that are intended for analysis.

A grouped specimen consists of identical specimen types from multiple individuals that do not have individual identifiers and upon which the same services will be performed. If the specimen role value is “G” then the Grouped Specimen Count (SPM-13) must be valued with the total number of specimens contained in the group.

If the specimen role is “L”, the repetitions of Parent Specimen ID (SPM-4) represent the individual parent specimens that contribute to the pooled specimen.

Refer to User-defined Table 0369 – Specimen Role for suggested values.

This field specifies the volume or mass of the collected specimen. For laboratory tests, the collection volume is the volume of a specimen. Specifically, units should be expressed in the ISO Standard unit abbreviations (ISO‑2955, 1977). This is a results-only field except when the placer or a party has already drawn the specimen. (See Chapter 7 for full details about units.)

This field refers to the number of individual specimens of a particular type represented by this instance of a specimen. The use of this field is restricted to specimens upon which all specimen related attributes are identical. This field would only be valued if the specimen role attribute has the value “G”.

This is a text field that allows additional information specifically about the specimen to be sent in the message

This describes how the specimen and/or container need to be handled from the time of collection through the initiation of testing. As this field is not required, no assumptions can be made as to meaning when this field is not populated.

Refer to User-defined Table 0376 – Special Handling Code for suggested values.

This field contains any known or suspected specimen hazards, e.g., exceptionally infectious agent or blood from a hepatitis patient. Either code and/or text may be absent. However, the code is always placed in the first component position and any free text in the second component. Thus, a component delimiter must precede free text without a code. Refer to User-defined Table 0489 – Risk Codes for suggested entries

The date and time when the specimen was acquired from the source. The use of the Date Range data type allows for description of specimens collected over a period of time, for example, 24-hour urine collection. For specimens collected at a point in time, only the first component (start date/time) will be populated.

The specimen received date/time is the time that the specimen is received at the diagnostic service. The actual time that is recorded is based on how specimen receipt is managed and may correspond to the time the sample is logged in. This is fundamentally different from SPM-xx Specimen Collection date/time.

This field is the date and time the specimen can no longer be used for the purpose implied by the order. For example, in the Blood Banking environment the specimen can no longer be used for pre-transfusion compatibility testing. The specimen segment will include an SPM-21-Specimen Reject Reason of 'EX' indicating 'Expired' for message instances created after this date and time.

This describes whether the specimen, as it exists, is currently available to use in an analysis. Refer to HL7 Table 0136 Yes/No Indicator for valid values

This describes one or more reasons the specimen is rejected for the specified observation/result/analysis. Refer to HL7 Table 0490 – Specimen Reject Reason for valid values.

The degree or grade of excellence of the specimen at receipt. The filler populates this attribute. Refer to User-defined Table 0491 – Specimen Quality for suggested entries.

The suitability of the specimen for the particular planned use as determined by the filler. Refer to User-defined Table 0492 – Specimen Appropriateness for suggested entries.

A mode or state of being that describes the nature of the specimen. Refer to User-defined Table 0493 – Specimen Condition for suggested entries.

This attributes contains the amount of specimen that currently exists or is available for use in further testing.

This field identifies the number of containers for a given sample. For sample receipt verification purposes; may be different from the total number of samples that accompany the order.

The container in or on which a specimen is transported

In chain of custody cases where specimens are moved from lab to lab, the status of the container that the specimen is shipped in must be recorded at each receipt. If the container is compromised in any way (seal broken, container cracked or leaking, etc) then this needs to be recorded for legal reasons.

Refer to User-defined Table 0544 – Container Condition for suggested values.

For child specimens, this field identifies the relationship between this specimen and the parent specimen. If this field is populated, then SPM-3-Specimen Parent ID must be populated. This field differs from SPM-15-Specimen Role in that this field refers to the role of this specimen relative to a parent role rather than the role of this specimen to the ordered service.

Refer to HL7 Table 0494 – Specimen Child Role for valid values.