May 06 - GHA Uses Leading Lab Information System
Computer systems in laboratories are important to patients and clinicians because they allow paperless requesting of laboratory tests using Unique Patient Identifier Numbers, removing the risks of written errors. And because they provide results online as they become ready making result provision much faster.
The Department of Pathology in the GHA introduced a new laboratory system a year ago. Mr Wayne Acris, Pathology IT lead, has worked in conjunction with other Pathology staff as well as the GHA’s IT team and the software suppliers, Izasa Systelab, to bring the system to a level of development that has resulted in our system setup and functionality to be recognised by the supplier’s software developers as cutting-edge.
Izasa Systelab has the system installed in over 700 laboratories in 15 countries and have classed the GHA’s laboratory as a reference centre. So much so that they requested to show-case the GHA system to a delegation of specialists from Thailand looking to introduce it in their hospital. The GHA was happy to accept and the St Bernard's Pathology and IT teams described how the system had been maximised to full potential. Dr Alex Menez, Pathology Services Manager, said that this was an example of excellent teamwork and dedication from several departments in the GHA working together to improve services and patient safety.
He was proud of his staff that had undertaken a lot of this work out of hours. The Minister for Health, Dr John Cortes, who met the delegation, said, "this is a great example of the professionalism and ability of GHA staff. I am very pleased this work has been recognised to be of such high quality by the supplier that the GHA has been show-cased in this way. It is an important step showing just what is possible as we move towards a full electronic patient record for Gibraltar."
