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Connecting a Siemens Dimension EXL 200 to your LIS or EHR
Quick answer
Yes. The Dimension EXL 200 has a bidirectional RS-232C host interface with host query: the system asks the host for a work order, or a batch of work orders. Catenix answers with the tests ordered in your EHR and sends matched results back. The host message format is confirmed from the system's settings during setup.
The Dimension EXL 200 Integrated Chemistry System is a random-access analyser that combines clinical chemistry with LOCI chemiluminescent immunoassay. It runs up to 440 photometric, 187 IMT and 167 immunoassay tests an hour, with 47 assays on board including three QuikLYTE IMT electrolytes (Na, K, Cl) and 110 assay channels, 15 of them open.
Its compact size suits smaller and satellite labs, and it is positioned as a low-volume companion to the Atellica Solution. The STAT menu includes high-sensitivity troponin I, hCG and a basic metabolic panel.
| What | How Catenix handles it |
|---|---|
| System type | Integrated chemistry and immunoassay (LOCI) |
| Host link | RS-232C, bidirectional |
| Orders | Host query: requests a work order or a batch of work orders |
| Ethernet | 1000BASE-T, for remote service only |
| Barcodes | Code 39, Code 128, Codabar, Interleaved 2 of 5; 12 digits max |
| Sample wheel | 60 positions with positive sample ID |
Check your accession numbers first
The EXL 200 reads sample barcodes of up to 12 digits. If your EHR's accession numbers are longer, labels need to be agreed before go-live so the system can read them and ask Catenix for the right work order.
The Ethernet port on the EXL 200 is for remote service, not the LIS. The host connection is the RS-232C port, which the Catenix gateway reaches through a serial device server.
Work orders and STAT handling
The EXL 200 has no dedicated STAT positions; STAT samples are prioritised in software. When it reads a tube it asks for that sample's work order, or a batch, and Catenix replies with the tests ordered in the EHR. Auto-repeat from the original sample, auto-reflex testing and automatic dilution from 1:1.5 to 1:200 all happen on the system, and Catenix stores every message it sends with the result.
QC on the EXL 200 and in Catenix
The system runs its own QC with Westgard rules. Where control results reach the host, Catenix files them as QC, grades them against your lab's targets, keeps Levey-Jennings history, and holds patient results for a test whose QC has failed. Patient results are matched by sample ID and unmatched ones wait for review. The gateway reconnects on its own after a network drop and stores results on site during internet outages.
Siemens Healthineers and Dimension EXL 200 are trademarks of their owners. Catenix is an independent connectivity provider, not affiliated with or endorsed by Siemens Healthineers.
Questions people ask
Can the Dimension EXL 200 query the LIS for orders?
Yes. It requests a work order, or a batch of work orders, from the host. Catenix answers with the EHR's orders.
Can the EXL 200 connect to the LIS over Ethernet?
Its Ethernet port is for remote service only. The host link is RS-232C.
How long can sample barcodes be on the EXL 200?
Up to 12 digits, in Code 39, Code 128, Codabar or Interleaved 2 of 5.
Related: Lab analyzer to EHR for small labs · Siemens ADVIA Centaur XPT connection · Siemens Atellica VTLi connection · Device library
Product and company names are trademarks of their owners and are used for identification only. Catenix moves, stores and displays results with traceability; it does not interpret results or give clinical advice. Reviewed October 2026.
Tell us your setup
Send us your analyser and the system you want results in, and we will confirm how it connects, usually within one working day. Ask about your setup.