Presented at the 2000 APIII Conference Return to 2000 Abstract Index
ELECTRONIC INTEGRATION OF TEXT, IMAGE AND GRAPHICAL DATA FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES IN LABORATORY REPORTS: EXAMPLE OF KIDNEY STONE REPORTING SYSTEM
Cleveland
Clinic Foundation
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Cleveland, Ohio
Walter H. Henricks, MD
Shang-Che Lin, MBA, MS, Frederick Van Lente, PhD, Walter H. Henricks, MD
Background: Integrating different data types from disparate sources represents a challenge and an opportunity to add value in the management of laboratory information. Laboratory analyses may generate multiple data types that may reside in separate systems, and integrating data into a report often requires laborious, error-prone methods. Kidney stone analysis is an example of such a situation.
Nephrolithiasis is a common affliction with a high rate of recurrence. The results of laboratory stone analysis guide appropriate medical therapy to prevent recurrence. In addition to analyzing the biochemical composition of stones, the laboratory documents their number, size, color, and weight. Photographs of stones are an effective way to document gross features.
Design: We developed a system for reporting kidney stone analysis results that provides two functions: database management and the combining of text, quantitative, graphical, and digital image data from different sources. The KIdney Stone reporting System (KISS) downloads patient and specimen information from the laboratory information system, and associates laboratory accession numbers with both digital photographs of stones and analytical instrument data files. The KISS then generates an infrared absorption spectrum graph from the quantitative data file and combines the graph with the patient record and stone image to produce a concise report for referring clinicians. The database management environment facilitates archiving, retrieval, reprint, and query capabilities.
Visual Basic (version 6.0, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) modules specify the graphical user interface, manage data retrieval from various sources, and control other application logic. An SQL Server (version 7.0, Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA) database engine maintains records and serves them to Crystal Report Designer (version 6.0, Seagate Inc., Vancouver, Canada) for formatting and printing reports.
Results: Implementation of the system has saved approximately 30 technologist hours per week. Users have received the system favorably, as it has reduced the number of manual steps necessary to produce a report. Transcription errors have been virtually eliminated.
Conclusion: The KISS represents an innovative use of standard tools to integrate text, image, and graphical data from disparate systems into an integrated laboratory report, without the need for expensive interfaces.
