Implementing a Laboratory Computer System: A Case History

Abstract

To overcome current problems in reporting large numbers of laboratory results in a coherent manner, this hospital has installed a PDP-12 computer system. This instrument is free-standing, dedicated only to laboratory use, and is a “turnkey” operation. All reports, including cumulative patient summaries, billing reports, worklists, specimen labels, venipuncture lists, etc., are obtained from the computer. Communication with the computer is in English-language conversational mode. In this article the computer system is described and evaluated. The work-flow is diagrammed and a new type of requisition is presented. Information is provided for selecting the size and characteristics of a computer system for a laboratory. The considerable difficulties inherent in the successful establishment of such a system and its costs in a laboratory are discussed.