107-P: THE SUCCESS STORY OF A LIS IMPLEMENTATION

Abstract

The Hema-Quebec HLA laboratory and stem cell donor registry performs HLA typing and donor search for more than 250 patients per year. We also do HLA typing for our cord blood registry (2000/year) and our stem cell donor registry (2000/year). Before February 2012, all the results from these activities and the follow up were done by paper work without informatics system support, thus increasing the risks for file loss and errors. In 2011, decision was taken to introduce a laboratory informatics system (LIS) to improve security and efficiency of the HLA laboratory and the cord blood and donor registries. A French company, Inlog, was chosen to develop informatics modules which suit our needs. Three modules were developed: EdgeLab for the patient, donor, and cord blood unit HLA files; EdgeCell for the patient and donor files, the search activities, the data bank for donors, and the data bank and processing file for cord blood units; and EdgeLink to get these two first modules connected together and allow the transfer of information and results. The laboratory instruments have been interfaced and the majority of the laboratory forms have been integrated to reduce transcription. The EdgeLab module was implemented at the end of February 2012, following the EdgeCell module. The adaptation period for the staff extended through June 2012 where modifications to the system were needed. After this point, we could observe a clear decrease in unnecessary analysis repeats, non-conformance reports, paper work, and most of all in our turnaround time. Our delays for urgent typing could be reduced to almost half the time. A reorganization of the workflow was possible and allows us to increase our volume of HLA typing by more than 40%. The benefit of a LIS implementation is obvious. Better control and turnaround time is achieved while the capacity of the HLA lab is increased.