Systems for the future
Medical laboratory staff were among the pioneers in NHS computer use and their forward thinking approach to health information continues today. In this special report on laboratory systems, experts explain how services are evolving with consolidated systems run over managed networks.

There are moves, too, to shed pathology’s rather morbid image. Laboratory medicine was the alternative term suggested in the recent Carter Report to describe a service that has a crucial role in the diagnostic process and in supporting clinicians and patients with sound information about test results.

Within the NHS, the new generation of IT systems are also key enablers in helping laboratories to meet steadily increasing demand, make best use of limited resources and work towards the goal of end-to-end communications between clinicians and laboratories.

Siemens Medical Solutions

Bringing together innovative medical technology, information technology, management consulting, and services to help customers achieve tangible, sustainable clinical and financial outcomes.

With Siemens, the latest groundbreaking technologies become affordable realities, helping medical professionals to advance the quality of healthcare by detecting illnesses earlier and more accurately.

Every day, in every hospital across the UK, medical staff are assisted in their vital life-saving work by the latest, most innovative Siemens technology and services. From diagnostic and IT solutions to managed services; from picture archiving and electronic patient record systems to power, environmental control and lighting systems that help to maintain a pristine healthcare environment.

A leader in the field of pathology document management

Plumtree Group has provided solutions and support to over 100 NHS Pathology Departments. From request form data capture to document management and report printing the company has the answers to the paper management problems that plague pathology.

Neurascript provides automated data entry of request information into all the major LIMS providers; this used with DART a web-based document management used by over 50 hospitals for the simple, point, click and retrieval of all kinds of documents including requests and reports saves thousands of hours every month.

Plumtree Group leading the way in pathology and with more exciting products being developed which will revolutionise information management in Pathology.

E-mail: bdorks@plumtreegroup.com
Tel: +44 115 937 6661 (Ben Dorks - Healthcare Division)
Web: www.plumtreegroup.com/nhs/pathology/default.asp

Labelling patient test requests eliminates duplicate records

Missing data and illegible handwriting on patient test requests results in huge amounts of time being wasted by laboratories. This is leading to duplicate records, errors and the returning of samples for reconfirmation of details. Patients often have to be recalled, diagnosis can be delayed and new tests have to be taken and new appointments made, adding to surgery pressures.

LabelTrace is a simple and highly effective solution that prints labels for patient test forms and tubes directly from the clinical system at the surgery- making illegible handwriting a thing of the past and dramatically reducing the risk of duplicate record creation. Labels can be designed with or without barcodes to the exact requirements of the laboratories further increasing productivity.

See LabelTrace in action at East Quay Medical Centre.

E-mail: jo.turner@codegate.co.uk
Tel: 0845 345 0808
Web: www.codegate.co.uk/labeltrace

Leaders in pathology IT and data management

As pathology’s chosen LIMS supplier, CliniSys continues to grow its UK market share through on-going investment in innovation and focusing on its core domain. Committed to delivering solutions that support the needs of this critical service, CliniSys provides the tools to support service reconfiguration and modernisation. CliniSys delivers adaptive and advanced data management solutions enabling the development of pathology networks which address key service challenges including:

• Integration of Point of Care and distributed testing
• Electronic inter-laboratory referral and sample tracking
• Management reporting and improved business intelligence
• Cost and service level monitoring
• Electronic requesting and reporting

E-mail: enquiries@clinisys.co.uk
Tel: +44 1932 581 300 (Donald Saum - Business Development Director)
Web: www.clinisys.co.uk