The laboratory will need a package of information to distribute to hospitals to help them understand the project and implement NBS electronic data exchange. This package should contain 1) material that introduces them to the project at a high, non-technical level; 2) partnership documents, such as a data use agreement or a memorandum of understanding (MOU), to formalize the relationship between the hospital and the laboratory, and 3) technical information about how to create and validate the messages, cut over to production, and discontinue the legacy feed(s).

The Virginia DCLS developed a comprehensive guide for its hospital partners and has posted it to the agency website for easy access: https://dgs.virginia.gov/division-of-consolidated-laboratory-services/resources/nbs-data-exchange/