Integrated laboratory information system ina large hospital laboratory in Singapore

Abstract

This paper describes an integrated approach to the computerization of all major disciplines of laboratory medicine and pathology. Installed in the Department of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital (SGH), the computer system discussed comprises a RISC-based Data General Aviion 6200 computer and Meditech MAGIC software. The system has been interfaced with the hospital host IBM computer and supports patient information transfer, result reporting, phlebotomy management, and compilation of laboratory and financial management reports. The main functions of the system include: on-line and off-line acquisition of patient information and test data; preparation of single/combined/cumulative reports; transmission of reports within and between laboratories; instantaneous provision of data in response to telephone enquiries; calculations of quality control/workload/productivity statistics and indices; and generation of billing lists. The computer enables reports to be provided on patient tests results in individual wards, at various specialist out-patient clinics, and in the Accident and Emergency Department of the SGH through the IBM mainframe, as well as to remote printers installed at several other major hospitals. The use of the MAGIC integrated laboratory information system has resulted in a significant increase in laboratory efficiency and productivity.

A highly specialised self‐made computer program enhances efficiency and safety of immunohaematology reports

“…Dear Sir, Laboratory information systems (LIS) and electronic data management are increasingly used in the medical field, (Clark et al, 1984;Gregory & Wood, 1987;Smit Sibinga, 1990;Jacob et al, 1992;Lepage et al, 1992, Markin, 1992Pandey et al, 1993;Kern & Bennett, 1996;Butch, 1997;Markin, 1998, Kuperman et al, 1999, especially in clinical laboratories where different patient data and analyses are processed, validated and exported to other departments. (Kataoka & Sugiura, 2005) Many different computer programs, which support interpretation of laboratory test results (e. g. blood grouping) (Growe et al, 1996), alert systems (Kuperman et al, 1998;Lo et al, 2007;Lo et al, 2009), quality control (Tan et al, 1990) and physician's order entry systems (Mekhjian et al, 2002) are already in use.…”