Laboratory management Example of a hardware system

Module 12: Clinical Laboratory Informatics External systema hardware:

Topic outline
● Components of a computer system
● Software system
● Laboratory information system
● Examples of laboratory information
system
● Health information system Figure A: examples of an internal
hardware system: speakers, printer,
Computing fundamentals monitor, system unit, mouse,
What is a computer? keyboard.
● An electronic machine that performs
input, processing, storing, and Internal system hardware:
output according to programmed
instructions to carry out specific
tasks.
● Formerly, computers were used
primarily to do arithmetic
computations, hence the term,
computer.
● A computer system can be
decomposed into the hardware
system and the software system,

Components of a computer system Figure B: examples of an external

● Hardware system hardware system: heatsink and fan,
● Software system CPU, video card, motherboard, hard
- Operating system software drive, Dvd burner, power supply,
and application software. memory.

Hardware system
● Consits of external and internal
physical components that enable a
computer to accept input, process
the input, store data, and procedure
outputs.
Components of an hardware
system
1. Monitor- displays
information in visual form,
using text and graphics.
2. Screen- portion of the
monitor that displays
information.
3. CPU (Central Processing
Unit)-
● The most important
component.
● Acts as the “brain” of
your computer
4. Random Access Memory
(RAM)-
● temporarily stores
information that the
CPU uses while the
computer is on.
● Information stored in
RAM is erased when
the computer is
turned off.
5. Keyboard- used mainly for
typing text into your
computer.
6. Mouse- a small device used
to point and select items on
your computer screen.
7. Printer- transfers data from
computer to paper.
8. Hard Disk Drive (HDD)- a
data storage device used for
storing and retrieving digital
information using rapidly
rotating discs.
9. Microprocessor-
● A multipurpose,
programmable device
that accpets digital
data as input.
● Processes data
according to
instructions stored in
its memory.
● Provides results as
output.
10. Power Supply Unit (PSU)-
converts AC to low-volatge
regulated DC power for the
internal components of a
computer.
11. Heat Sing and Fan
● A passive heat
exchanger
component that cools
a device by
dissipating heat into
surrounding air.
● Used to cool central
processing units or
graphic processors.
12. Memory- stores data on yur
computer
13. Video Card-
● Also called a video
adapter, display card,
graphic card,
graphics board,
display adapter, or
graphics adapter.
● An expansion card
which generates a
feed of output images
to a display.
14. DVD player- a device that
plays discs produced under
both the DVD-Video and
DVD-Audio.
The two different operating types of In conclusion:
software programs The operating software
1. Operating system software ● Serves as the interface between
● Provides instructions to application, software, and hardware
hardware system components.
components. The application software
● When the impute is entered, ● Interfaces with the users of the
the operating system computer system.
program provides
instructions to send the input
to appropriate hardware
components for processing.
● It then provides instructions
for the results to be sent to
the appropriate output
device.
Examples:
- microsoft windows
operating system.
- Macintosh operating Figure C: users, application
system. software, operating system software,
2. Application software and hardware system. Application
● Provides instructions that enables software interfaces with the user,
the user to perform specific tasks while the operating system performs
such as: the specific function.
1. Creating programs
2. Composing written
documents
3. Editing images
● Handled by the operating system.
Examples:
- Microsoft word
- notepad

Laboratory Information System
What is a Laboratory Information System
(LIS)?
Also known as:
● Laboratory information
management system (LIMS)
● Laboratory Management System
(LMS).
A software based laboratory and information
management system that offers a set of key
features that support a modern laboratory's
operations.
● Key features include:
workflow and data tracking
support, flexible architecture,
smart data exchange
interfaces.
● Key features fully support the
use of LIS in regulated
environments.
Features and uses of LIS have evolved
over the years:
● From simple sample tracking to an
enterprise resource planning tool.
● Resource planning tools manage
multiple aspects of laboratory
informatics.
The functionalities of LIS can be divided into
five laboratory processing phases, with
numerous software functions falling under
each phase:
1. The reception an dlog in of a sample
and its associated customer data.
2. The assignment, scheduling, and
tracking of the sample and the
associated analytical workload.
3. The processing and quality control
associated with the sample and the
utilized equipment and inventory.
4. The storage of data associated with
the sample analysis,
5. The inspection, approval, and
compilation of the sample data for
reporting and/or further analysis.
Examples of Laboratory Information
System
1. Healh Level Seven (HL7)
● an all- volunteer, not-for-profit
organization involved in the
development of international
healthcare standards.
● Health Level Seven’s domain is
clinical and administrative data.
HL7 Standard:
A framework and standards for the
exchange, integration, sharing, and retrieval
of electronic health information.
Health Level Seven International
● The global authority on
standards for interoperability
of health information
technology with members in
over 5 countries.
● On of the several American
National Standards Institute
(ANSI)- accredited Standards
Developing Organizations
(SDOs) operating in he
health care area.

Purpose of HL7
● VISION
To create the best and most widely
used standards in healthcare.
● MISSION
To provide standards for
interoperability that improve care
delivery, optimize workflow, reduce
ambiguity, and enhance knowledge
transfer, including healthcare
providers, government agencies,
and the vendor community.
● What does the HL7 do?
- Develops specifications.
Most widely known specifications:
1. Messaging standard:
- Enables disparate healthcare
applications to exchange clinical and
administrative data.
2. Systemized Nomenclature of
Medicine (SNOMED)
● A systematically organized computer
collection of medical terms
● Provides codes, terms, synonyms,
and definition covering diseases,
findigs, procedures, microogranisms,
substances, etc.
● Allows a consistent way to index,
store, retrieve, and aggregate
clinical data cross specialities and
sites of care.
● helps in organizing the content of
medical records.
● Reduces the variability in the way
data is captured, encoded, and used
for clinical care of patients and
research.
Figure D: SNOMED CT is the most
comprehensive and precise clinical
health terminology product in the
world, owned and distributed around
the world by The international Health
Terminology Standards
Development Organisation (HTSDO)
SNOMED CT has been developed
collaboratively to ensure it meets the
diverse needs and expectations of
the worldwide medical profession
and is now accepted as a common
global language for health terms
Patients and healthcare
professionals benefit from improved
 health boras clinical decisions and
analysis, leading to higher quatty
consistency
and safety in health care delivery.
SNOMED includes more than 311,00
unique concepts
● There are almost 800,000
descriptions in SNOMED CT,
including synonyms that can ve used
to refer to a concept.
● In addition, there are approximately
1,360,000 links or semantic
relationships between the SNOMED
CT concepts.
Purpose of SNOMED:
● To support the effective clinical
recording of data
● Aims to improve patient care
SNOMED is a structured collection of
medical terms that are used internationally
for recording clinical information and are
coded in order to be processed by a
computer.
3. Logical Observation
Identifiers Names and Codes
(L.O.I.N.C )
● A database and universal standard
for identifying medical laboratory
observations
● A universal code system to enable
facilities and departments across the
world to receive and send results
from their areas for comparison and
consultation
● May contribute toward a larger
public health initiative of improving
clinical outcomes and quality of care
Format of L.O.I.N.C.
● A formal, distinct, and unique six
part name is given to each term for
test or observation identity
● The database currently has over
58,000 observation terms that can
be accessed and understood
universally
● Each database record includes six
fields for the unique specification of
each identified single test,
observation, or measurement:
A. Component:
• What is measured, evaluated, or observed
• Example: Urea, creatinine, glucose
B. Kind of property:
• Characteristics of what is measured
• Example: length, mass, volume, time
stamp
C. Time aspect:
• Interval of time over which the observation
or measUrement was made
D. System:
• Context or specimen type within which the
observation was made
• Example: blood, urine
E. Type of scale:
• The scale of measure
• The scale may be quantitative, ordinal,
nominal, or narrative
F. Type of method:
• Procedure used to measure or make an
observation

Figure E: AMBOT BASAHA
Uses of L.O.I.N.C.:
• Improved communication in integrated
healthcare delivery networks
• Improved community wide electronic
health records
• Automatic transfer to public health
authorities of case reports for reportable
diseases:
- Example: for disease control or
detection of epidemics
• Improved transfer of payment information
for services rendered
• Significant improvement in the overall
quality of health care by reducing errors in
the system
4. Health Information System
(HIS):
• A combination of health statistics from
various sources
•Used to derive information about health
status, health care, provision, and use of
services and health impact
• Provides information management
features that hospitals need for daily
business features such as:
- Patient tracking, billing,
administrative programs, clinical
features
-
HIS-related errors are due to:
• Inadequate staffing levels
• Lack of user experience
• Mislabeled barcodes on medications
• Human distraction
• Inaccurate data entry
• System downtime
• Missing data
Mitigation:
• Many publications offer guidance to
hospitals about assessing workflow,
selecting systems for purchase, conducting
simulation tests, training, and other
mechanisms for ensuring safe HIS
implementation.
Numerous publications exist to guide the
implementation process itself.
• There are also several publications that
point out the risks of rapid implementation
without appropriate preparation
• After implementation, continuous
monitoring and improvement can mitigate
safety risks