Q: What is Message Center?

Message Center is a two-way communication tool allowing you and your team the ability to address questions on specimen-related cases when it’s convenient. Message Center is available online 24/7. In addition, you can also request a test add-on, request a test cancellation, or initiate a test inquiry to ask a specific patient or general question.   

Message Center allows you to work through open issues on your time via mayocliniclabs.com, and provides clear status information, including who is responsible for the next step toward resolution. 

For more information, please see the Message Center User Guide on the Message Center Insights page.

Q: What’s the benefit? 

Message Center will provide a better user experience, making it easier to interact with Mayo Clinic Laboratories through more intuitive, integrated tools. Additional benefits include: 

• Flexibility and customization of email notifications for priority message types.  
• Ability to initiate a test add-on, test cancellation, or general inquiry.  
• Intuitive navigation and search functionality for active and closed messages.  
• Ability to upload/download attachments.  
• Collaboration and visibility for teams to work on open issues and see discussion history.   
• Two-way communication.   
• Ongoing updates to resolve open issues.   
• Web-based, available at any time, any place. 

Q: How do I find Message Center? 

Once you have access to Message Center, sign in to the mayocliniclabs.com website and click on the “Message Center” icon to access the functionality. Access must be granted before the icon is viewable on the website. 

If there are messages that are new and/or unread for the account, a count of messages will show. 

Q: How long are cases visible in Message Center?

The default view shows results for up to 90 days; however, if you enter a specific time frame within the date search, cases up to 360 days old can be shown. 

Q: Is there a limit on the number of messages that can be sent back and forth for a given case?  

No. You can continue the discussion for as long as necessary to get to a resolution. 

Q: If I have multiple account numbers, can I see them all at the same time in Message Center?  

Yes, if you have access, you can see all of your accounts. You should work with your RSR to determine which accounts should have access to Message Center. On the landing page, select which accounts you want to view by using the drop-down arrow to see the list of accounts and then checking the appropriate boxes.  

Q: How can I determine how long a message has been active in Message Center? 

In the created column on the landing page, a color indicates how old the message is. This is also present on the Details page. 

Green is < 48 hours   

Yellow is 48-72 hours   

Red is over 72 hours   

Q: When I request a test add on, how do I provide answers if Ask at Order Entry (AOE) questions are required? 

Once the test mnemonic is added to the request, the appropriate Ask at Order Entry (AOE) questions will appear. Some questions will have a dropdown list to choose from while others will be free text. 

Q: Can I close or reopen a message? 

No, Mayo is responsible for closing all messages except for inquiries. You can close an inquiry from the Details page on a message.  Additionally, if you do not respond to an inquiry in seven days, it will automatically close.   

Q: Can attachments be sent via Message Center? 

Yes, you can download attachments and upload attachments via the Details page.   

Message Center accepts a wide variety of file types such as PDF, Word, Excel, JPG, PNG, etc. Due to file size limitations, video files are not accepted. 

Q: Will test cancelations and revisions by Mayo be communicated via Message Center? 

No, if Mayo has canceled a test or revised a report, the call center will communicate this to you as they do today.

Q: Will Message Center be the only way Mayo Clinic reaches out to me?

While we encourage clients to communicate via Message Center, there will be times when a case may require a more urgent response or is highly complex. In these situations, we may call you to ensure the quickest resolution. 

Q: Which browsers can clients use?

Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari are all acceptable browsers. 

Q: Will Batchfax, the daily fax with problem resolution questions, be phased out?

Yes, the plan is to transition batchfax clients to Message Center.  

Q: I just created an order (outside Message Center), why can’t I find it in Message Center when I try to create a new message for a test add on or a test cancel? 

It takes approximately 15 minutes for the order to propagate through all our systems.

Q: Can I set up email notifications in Message Center? 

Yes, you have the ability to set up email notifications specific to individual preferences. From the Message Center landing page, click on the settings icon in the upper-right corner. From here, you can select the emails you would like to receive. 

Q: Where do I submit ideas for future releases? 

If you have feedback or ideas for future releases, you can submit them through a survey linked in Message Center. Please see the “submit your feedback” link in the lower right-hand corner of the main Message Center page. 

Q: If I have questions, who should I contact?   

During regular business hours, contact Customer Service.