Test Dictionary
preLink provides a basic test dictionary that contains:
- Tests
- Profiles
- Calculated Tests
- Test Ranges
- Result/Test Comments
- Reflex testing, etc.
The laboratory can manage and maintain their dictionary as they see fit.
Microbiology Module
Microbiology is a complex discipline and requires a more involved setup than regular procedures.
preLink has a Microbiology section with a standard set of Organisms and Antibiotics with their related sensitivities and resistance levels. The laboratory can manage and maintain the complete list.
The Microbiology result entry screen is dynamically built based on the growth status and organisms observed in a specimen. The lab staff can then enter the diameter and preLink will calculate the interpretation.
Stat/Urgent Monitoring
Focus must be placed on fast, prioritised and effective testing and release of critical results. Therefore, preLink has several visual queues and alerts across the system to indicate urgent requests/tests and if they are outstanding.
Client services can also prioritise callouts and notification for urgent requests.
Specimen Storage and Tracking
Every specimen in preLink must have a specimen barcode that is either printed by preLink or pre-printed by an external provider. This barcode is used during communication with the analysers, performing tracking, performing storage, etc.
A specimen can be tracked per department, and then preLink will use that date/time when calculating turnaround times for tests. These can be used to determine how efficient departments are and to eliminate slowdowns.
Administrators can set up and manage short term storage tube racks in fridges. These racks can be open to all departments (for smaller labs) or can be department specific (for larger labs with fridges per department). Lab staff can then store, retrieve, view the location of a specimen and view the specimen storage history.
Clinical Research
If your core business is Clinical Research, preLink has numerous unique features that considerably reduce laboratory workload.
Laboratories can configure research trials and configure details for that trial:
- The client
- The date ranges
- The patient demographic setup
- The submission forms and their barcodes
- The trials rounds (including the study/participant count, period, barcode setup)
- The specimens and tests
- Barcode setup
- Printing of submission forms
- Printing of barcodes.
Our unique barcoding system for pre-labelling of study protocols and visits reduces the time taken to register study work by up to 95%.
Templated Testing
preLink allows the laboratory to set up templated tests and/or custom worksheets. The lab staff would be able to configure the required tests, rack or worksheet layout, controls, open or client specific, etc.
Automatic queuing of templates for molecular testing and instrument interfacing to PCR equipment reduces transcription errors and reduces turnaround time for results.
Resulting is done via analyser interfacing or manually captured on worksheets.
Analyser/Information System Interfacing
We have a long list of interfaced analyzers using bidirectional and unidirectional communication protocols and a file import interface using network shares.
preLink can receive specimen queries, program test orders and receive test results from analyzers, whereby reducing human errors that would normally occur during manually programming orders or entering results.
preLink also has bidirectional communication for receiving orders and sending results to referral systems, hospital EHR systems or external systems using open standards such as HL7. E.g., interfacing to Meditech.
Quality Control Module
Every organization requires QC in some shape or form. In the laboratory environment, QCs are normally running on a daily basis to ensure that analysers are accurate.
preLink has a QC module that allows the laboratory to configure all their QC lots. Each lot has a barcode, date range, analyser and required tests. Each test is configured with a Mean value and Standard Deviation value. This allows preLink to plot the each runs results on a Levy Jennings graph.
Audit Trails
preLink keeps an audit event for all events that occur on a request, this includes events such as:
- Request captured,
- barcode(s) entered,
- documents associated,
- tests ordered/removed,
- request details modified,
- patient demographics modified,
- sign off events,
- callout events,
- report printed event,
- billing events,
- EDI export events, etc.
Courier Manager
The courier module allows the laboratory to create pickup requests for specimens and then automatically alert the laboratories drivers via SMS or email that there is a specimen collection at a specific client location.
We are currently looking at adding functionality to our mobile website that would allow drivers to login and view their pickup requests, and also allow the client to “sign on the dotted line” when the specimen is collected.
Mobile Website
Clients/doctors can login to our lightweight and responsive website that is specifically designed for mobile devices. It adjusts to the user’s device and resolution to provide a standard interface across all mobile devices – namely: laptops, cellular devices, tablets.
By default, the client is shown all requests that have been captured for them over the past 72 hours. The client is then able to search for requests based on patient name, surname, id number or folio/file number (which is a client reference number).
The view request page will show all patient, guarantor, orders, test results and comments for the selected request.
REST API
We have created a new REST API that can be used by external systems to electronically order requests, upload request forms, download result reports and receive test results.
Each external service requires a uniquely generated API key and credentials before using the REST API. Some systems currently using the REST API:
Remote Printing
Printing to remote locations and printers that are not directly connected to the local laboratory network are always a problem. It requires creating complex VPNs, using expensive cloud enabled printers or exposing printers over the internet (which we highly recommend against).
We have created a small application that is run at remote sites, satellite laboratories and or depots to access our REST API and pull and print jobs from preLink. It allows for the management of printers at the remote location.
Patient/Guarantor Communication
preLink allows the lab to configure if, and which, tests can be sent to a patient (or the guarantor) on sign off and completion of a request.
If notifiable tests are found, an email containing ONLY the notifiable tests will be sent to the patient (or guarantor) along with a result SMS (if the lab has enabled the notifiable SMS).
Specimen Transfer
The laboratory can generate a list of specimens that are sent away to a third party laboratory for testing.
The laboratory can can also generate a list of specimens that must be transferred from one site (i.e. laboratory) to another.
Medical Aid Claim Processing
preLink has an interface to the GoodX software suite.
All your complex billing and coding for clients, doctors and medical aids can be maintained in GoodX. Invoice data is posted to GoodX and then pricing and invoicing information is returned to Prelink.
Labs can perform live validation on patient Medical Aid details and perform Medical Aid switching via GoodX’s Electronic Claim Processing System (ECPS).