The Doctors Laboratory (TDL) - Pathology
TDL integration lets you order pathology tests and receive results automatically via Azure Blob Storage polling.
How to Connect
- Navigate to Apps > The Doctors Laboratory
- Open the Settings tab
- Enter your Azure Storage Account Name (e.g. "tdlmayfield", 3-24 characters, lowercase letters and numbers only)
- Choose an Authentication Method:
- SAS Token - recommended for testing or temporary access
- Access Key - recommended for production use
- Enter the token or key provided by TDL
- Configure Container Names (defaults are usually correct):
- Results Container (default: "results") - where TDL stores lab results
- Requests Container (default: "requests") - for sending lab orders
- PDFs Container (default: "pdfs") - where PDF reports are stored
- Set the Polling Interval - how often the system checks for new results (every 5, 10, 15, or 30 minutes, or every hour)
- Optionally enter your TDL Source Code (e.g. "MAYFIELD01", max 10 characters)
- Click Test Connection - the system verifies access to each container and shows file counts
- Once the test passes, click Save
Contact TDL at support@tdlpathology.com if you need help obtaining your Azure credentials.
Connection Status
When connected, the Overview tab shows:
- A green Successfully Connected alert
- Polling frequency - how often results are checked
- Last tested timestamp
- Check for Updates button - manually trigger a poll and see how many new results were found
Tabs
| Tab |
Description |
| Overview |
Connection status and manual update check |
| Test Ordering |
Pending and submitted lab orders |
| Results |
Received lab results with status |
| Test Catalogue |
Browse all available TDL tests |
| Test Requests |
Configure order defaults |
| Settings |
Connection form and credentials |
Order Defaults
The Test Requests tab lets you set defaults for new orders:
- Phone Results - toggle to request phone or fax notification by default
- Bill To - choose "Patient" or "Doctor / Practice"
- Default Clinical Details - optional notes included on every order (max 35 characters)
Editing or Disconnecting
- Edit Connection - update credentials or settings without disconnecting
- Disconnect - stops polling and removes the connection (requires confirmation)
Tip: Start with a 15-minute polling interval. You can reduce it if you need faster result turnaround, but more frequent polling uses more resources.