Re: Computer based records

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From:"Histomail\\" <histomail@netspace.net.au>
To:margaret blount <Margaret.Blount@unilever.com>
Reply-To:
Date:Sun, 13 Jun 1999 15:36:39 +1000
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Dear Margaret,
I'm sure there are many systems already in use out there.
Here in Australia we have had many systems such as McDonnell Douglas,
Baxter, Medipath and many others. The least user friendly was McDonnell
Douglas which never really suited our Pathology systems mainly because it
was an administrative add-on. The best I've used is the Medipath System,
which we were personally able to modify to suit our own requirements, both
for worksheet recording, layouts, reports, customising, and just as
important able to do searches either by designed programming for SNOMED
code, word string, Doctor, patient location, specimen type etc. etc. and
even if the internal programme did not exist, it was a simple matter to do
it all at TCL: anyway , with the aid of a roadmap! We also used a barcoding
system both for patients and any theraputics administered eg. BSA, FFP,
packed cells etc, so that all events could be "Packed Tracked" for
Medico-legal purposes.

I would suggest that there are at least equivalent programmes available in
the UK. There are many excellent programmes in the US, but you may not have
access to these. The greatest factor of all is that you have local back-up
service, the system be user friendly and the system be able to be customised
to your purposes.
Start by getting in touch with UK Pathology Labs. esp. those with a
Biochemistry Dept. and Immunohaematology/Blood transfusion eg. St. Guys
etc.; as these disciplines have been computerised for many years and
extensively use barcoding systems; if they happen to have a anatomical Path.
lab. as well then so much the better. But do have a good look around, and
visit as many sites as you can, after all distances are not a major problem
in UK. Just remember, what's good for me, mightn't suit you, so don't get
overwhelmed by others enthusiasm, and please ask these people how much and
how frequent their down-time was- it might indicate unreliablility.
Regards Mike (Downunder)
-----Original Message-----
From: margaret blount <Margaret.Blount@unilever.com>
To: histonet <histonet@Pathology.swmed.edu>
Date: Saturday, 12 June 1999 12:19
Subject: Computer based records


>Dear Histonetters,
>
>I am running a small histology service laboratory in industrial research.
To
>date our records have been maintained on paper. Does anyone have any advice
to
>offer about suitable databases for recording accession numbers, type of
blocks,
>sections required, etc for a histology service? Would such databases be
able to
>generate bar coded labels and would this be appropriate? At the moment the
>service is small but it is expanding and I would want any database to be
able
>to cope with such expansion. The paper based records work, but we are all
>encouraged to look at electronic based tools  and I would anticipate being
able
>to archive results, reports and photographs or at least references to their
>whereabouts within the same database. Are there such databases about and
what
>do histotechs feel about them?
>
>I look forward to your replies.
>
>Thanks a lot
>
>Margaret
>
>Margaret Blount
>Colworth House
>Unilever Research
>Beds
>UK
>
>margaret.blount@unilever.com
>




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