---
id: orders-dme-overview
title: Orders & DME overview
module: orders-dme
audience: [clinician, admin]
roles: [clinician, medical_director, admin]
type: concept
estimated_minutes: 3
last_reviewed: 2026-07-08
app_route: /facility/{facility_uuid}/patients/{patient_uuid}/orders-dme
related:
  - orders-dme-create-dme-order
tags: [orders, DME, laboratory, imaging, referrals, home-health]
---

# Orders & DME overview

Orders & DME is the per-patient hub for generating and tracking clinical orders that flow out of a visit — from durable medical equipment to outbound referrals. It opens from a patient's chart (`/patients/{patient_uuid}/orders-dme`).

![Orders & DME page showing the order-type tabs](../../assets/orders-dme/hub.png)

*Orders & DME — order types run as tabs across the top.*

## Order types (tabs)

| Tab | Purpose |
|---|---|
| **DME** | Prescriptions for durable medical equipment: wound-care supplies, compression devices, mobility aids, and similar items. |
| **Labs** | Lab requisitions and specimen tracking. |
| **Imaging** | X-ray, MRI, ultrasound, and other imaging studies. |
| **Referrals** | Outbound referral orders to specialists (vascular, podiatry, wound care, etc.). |
| **Home Health** | Home health agency referrals and certifications. |

## How an order is placed and routed

For each order you pick a **vendor** from the enabled-vendor list for that order type (vendors are scoped per clinic), optionally choose the vendor's custom form, then **send it by fax or email** to the vendor. Orders can be saved as a **Draft** first.

Each order carries a status: **Draft**, **Submitted**, **Received**, **Provisioned**, **Rejected**, **Canceled**, or **Needs Info**. When results come back, use **Upload Results** on the order.

## How orders connect to visits

- **During a visit** — the **Orders & DME** section (section 12) of the Visit Wizard opens this surface with the patient context attached.
- **Standalone** — open a patient's chart and go to Orders & DME to place or track orders outside a visit.

## Related

Auto-rendered from `related:` in frontmatter.