New Version of Misys Laboratory Enhances Day-to-Day Workflow Efficiencies and Patient Safety

Confronting ever-present challenges managing the medical laboratory technologist shortage, hospitals are increasingly turning to technology to automate their lab operations. The latest version of Misys Laboratory™ from Misys Healthcare Systems, was demonstrated at the Clinical Laboratory Management Association (CLMA) Conference in Chicago, this introduces new enhancements to blood bank and microbiology modules that improve workflow and productivity and eliminate time-consuming manual steps during lab testing.

Generally available to Misys Laboratory clients this spring, new graphical user interface (GUI)-based features in this release include: Blood Bank Quality Assurance (QA) checks that generate password overrides; electronic crossmatch and instrument interfacing to automate manual testing; customized specimen inventories per lab facility with security levels for viewing and accessing blood products enterprise-wide; streamlined microbiology workflow that includes results viewing from one screen; and enhanced General Laboratory rule-based logic and calculations via new tools for editing and testing.

The Misys Laboratory information system is installed in all seven Florida Hospital facilities in the Orlando area. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 29,000 (a 19.3 percent increase) medical and clinical laboratory technologist positions will be created over a 10-year period from 2002 to 2012. Due to this growth, the number of job openings is expected to continue to exceed the number of job seekers.

"We enhanced our blood bank and microbiology modules to concentrate on three primary areas that impact clinical laboratory technologists and outcomes - patient safety, extended multi-facilities usage and automation," said Debbie Tillman, senior product manager of Misys Laboratory for Misys Healthcare Systems.