I've been interested in this thread to see the number of ways labs
accession their numbers.  Some of you play with some reallly cool
instruments.  I'm jealous.  I want to play with a computer!!  

some day...
connie m


At 08:10 AM 06/23/2000 -0700, Johnson, Mickey wrote:
>Hi!
>
>I thought I would put my two cents worth in on this. We use a log book (a
>small spiral bound book and use both sides of the pages) and we accession
>into CoPath. The number is assigned by us manually, and then we are careful
>to keep everyting in order so CoPath assigns the same number(it's pretty
>straight foreward). If we were to use the CoPath specimen/slide/block log(s)
>for our daily reference log, instead of copies of the spiral log book, we
>would go through about a ream of paper per week. The CoPath system writes
>each block on a separate line. We process 3-4 hundred blocks a day. Anyway,
>the log book is also an extremely useful reference for Add-ons, Autopsy
>blocks, Cell Blocks, Bone Marrows, Special Stains, special instructions for
>embedding, sentinel nodes, etc. We get a lot of information on 5 pages.
>Computers are wonderful for accessing reports and billing information
>speedily on-line, but they are notoriously inefficient when it comes to the
>time it takes to input data. CoPath in particular is down right wasteful in
>its use of paper for daily logs. I would have to have 10 times the space to
>store the CoPath logs compared to our spiral log books we currently use. 
>In our lab we have 3.5 FTE's of Lab Assistants who accession, print labels,
>help set up gross, etc. My hat is off to them for their ability to get
>everything into the computer systems consistently, accurately and quickly.
>They have to input patients into our DOS based Meditech system (l980's
>technology) first and then accession into CoPath. The Sunquest system is the
>invisible (unless the interface is down) link between Meditech and CoPath.
>The computer vendors always tell you that they can do anything that you
>question them about, but frequently, to everyone's consternation, cannot
>deliver.
>Well, I feel better now! Grin! :)
>
>Best Regards,
>
>Mickie
>
>Michael L Johnson, BS, HTL(ASCP)
>Histology Supervisor
>Department of Pathology
>Sacred Heart Medical Center
>W. 101 8th Avenue
>Spokane, WA 99220
>
>johnsom@shmc.org
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Renee Seiler [mailto:horalka@iopener.net]
>Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2000 4:29 AM
>To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
>Subject: specimen accessioning
>
>
>Hello, I have been reading with interest on all the feedback about entering
>specimens, and am totally flabbergasted that a) you have secretaries and
>transcriptionists who WILLINGLY do this and b)those who have a computer
>system STILL use logbooks--hello, let's save some trees here!  Yes, use
>manual entry when the system goes down, but the whole purpose of a
>computerized system is to let the computer and only the computer assign
>numbers.  I have used both Sunquest and Meditech and have worked in labs
>where everyone from the lab assistant to histotech to cytotech to path
>assistants to pathologists will accession specimens, but NEVER the office
>people!
>Renee Seiler, Rose Medical Center, Denver CO, USA
>
>
>
>