NTE — Notes and Comments
Follows the segment it annotates. Multiple NTE segments can appear sequentially for multi-line notes.
The NTE segment carries free-text notes and comments that annotate a parent segment. It can appear after MSH, PID, ORC, OBR, or OBX to provide additional context for that segment.
Real-World Context
NTE is where pathologists put their interpretations, where lab techs put QC comments, and where clinicians add order notes. The parent segment context is critical — an NTE after OBX annotates that specific result, while an NTE after OBR annotates the entire order. If pathology comments are not appearing with results in the EHR, the problem is often that the EHR is not processing NTE segments that follow OBX.
Field Reference
Click any row to see the full description, common values, and troubleshooting tip.
| # | Field Name | Type | Req | Max Len | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Set ID - NTE | SI | O | 4 | ▶ |
| 2 | Source of Comment | ID | O | 8 | ▶ |
| 3 | Comment | FT | O | 65536 | ▶ |
| 4 | Comment Type | CE | O | 250 | ▶ |
Example Segment
1NTE||1|L|Specimen mildly hemolyzed, results may be affected. Repeat collection recommended if clinically indicated.|RE^Remark^HL70364
Related Segments
Used In Message Types
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