Information Management
incorporates all the processes needed for effectively managing data – both incoming and outgoing patient information
may be entirely paper-based, computer-based, or a combination
Communication
process in human relations of passing information and understanding from one person to another
conducted by written or spoken word but may be conveyed by gesture, lack of gesture, manner of dressing, personal appearance and general behavior
potential information
data generated by the laboratory has been called ___ until it has been utilized in patient care
Interdepartmental
transmission of information between or among departments
Intradepartmental
transmission of information within the department
Public Relations
person with good public relations communicates with a target audience directly or indirectly through media with an aim to create and maintain a positive image with the audience
Speak to people
greet each person you encounter; looking at his/her eyes and engage with genuine interest
Smile at people
people can tell if you are engaged in a topic
Call people by name
The thing a person wants to hear the most
Be friendly & helpful
try to help them as much as possible
Be cordial
enjoy the work that you are doing and the people you are helping
Be genuinely interested in people
tell them you appreciate what they are saying
Be generous with praise
sets a good example and model; it exemplifies ideal behavior
Be considerate with the feelings of others
listen to both sides in a conflict
Be alert to give service
clue into the dynamics and your friends within the group
Be thoughtful of the opinions of others
people want to be heard
Have a good sense of humor
learn from mistakes and rejoice in success
Informal talks
Most fundamental form of communication, suitable for day-to-day, liaison work, direction, and exchange of information
Planned appointments
appropriate for regular review liaison recurring joint work sessions
Telephone calls
frequent check-up or for empathy or receiving information, instruction, data, etc
Interoffice memos
recording informal inquiries or replies
Letters
official notices, formally recorded statements, or lengthy communications even when the addressee is unavailable
Reports
convey information associated with evaluation, analysis, recommendations; to supervisors or colleagues are most effective when based on conferences, visits, inspections, surveys, research studies
Informal staff meeting
development of strong group cohesiveness and response
each morning, at the end of the day or at lunch
Planned conference
relatively formal
given time to prepare needed data, information, reports, recommendations, etc
Mass meeting
conducted by management with a large number of employees
celebrating occasions, building morale, introducing new policies or key personnel, and making special announcements
Bulletin board notices
lengthy or formal announcements
Upward Communication
subordinate communicates directly to his supervisor or superiors
It is for providing suggestions, complaints and the like
Downward Communication
superior or supervisor communicates directly to his subordinates
n informing employees about their decisions, policies, procedures, and sending of memos
Horizontal Communication
flow of information between colleagues and peers
coordinate within a department, among team members and among different departments
Diagonal Communication
flow of information between positions that are on different lateral planes and activities of the organizational structure
between laboratory personnel and the human resources department; or between laboratory management and non-managerial members of other departments such as the purchasing personnel or the nursing staff.
Error Education
a well-planned computer system, with check systems for errors, will help to alert the user of inconsistencies and reduce the number of error
provide information that is legible
Quality Control Management
analysis on quality control data and generate statistics automatically
Provisions of Options for Data Searching
possible to access data by name, by laboratory or patient number, and sometimes by test result or analysis performed
Access to Patient Information
very useful in the process of checking the most recent results against previous data to look for changes, which is a good practice and helps to detect errors
Generate Reports
easy to generate detailed, legible reports quickly
Ability to Track Reports
easier to track reports, to know when work was finished, who performed the work, when the data was reviewed and when the report was sent
Ability to Track & Analyze Trends
Possible to retrieve and use large amounts of data effectively
provide very strong search capabilities
Improved Capability for Maintaining Patient Confidentiality
maintain confidentiality of laboratory data than when dealing with a handwritten report form
Integration with Sites Outside the Lab
laboratory system directly from a patient or client registration point
transmitted to many sites or interfaces as needed
Results can be provided directly to computers accessible to the health care provider or public health official
data entry into a national laboratory database and almost any other data application that is needed
Training
time-consuming and expensive
Time to Adapt to New System
inconvenient and unwieldy to laboratory staff
Cost
Purchase and maintenance are the most expensive parts of a computerized system
Computers use lots of paper, and the cost of materials must be planned for
Physical Restrictions
Adequate space and dedicated electrical requirements are necessary
Documents
Provide written information about policies, processes and procedures
Records
collected information produced by the laboratory in the process of performing and reporting a laboratory test
Policy
what to do
a documented statement of overall intentions and direction defined by those in the organization and endorsed by management
Processes
how it happens
steps involved in carrying out quality policies
interrelated or interacting activities that transform inputs into outputs
Procedures
how to do it
specific activities of a process
performance of a test
step-by-step instructions that laboratory staff should meticulously follow for each activity
Quality Manual
overall guiding document for the quality system and provides the framework for its design and implementation
Standard operating procedure (SOP)
step-by-step written instructions for each procedure performed in the laboratory
ensure that all procedures are performed consistently by everyone in the laboratory
Reference materials
find scientific and clinical information about diseases, laboratory methods, and procedures
Document control system
provides procedures for formatting and maintaining documents
A uniform format that includes a numbering system, to include a method for identifying the version (date) of the document
A process for formal approval of each new document, a distribution plan or list, and a procedure for updating and revising laboratory document
A master log or inventory of all documents of the laboratory
A process to ensure that the documents are available to all who need them, including users outside the laboratory
A method for archiving documents that become outdated but need to be kept for future reference
Elements of a document control
Permanence
must last for as long as needed
ensured by binding pages together, or using a bound book
numbered for easy access, and permanent ink should be used
Accessibility
designed so that information can be easily retrieved whenever needed
Security
kept in a secure place
maintaining patient confidentiality
safe from any environmental hazards
protected in the event of fires, floods or other possibilities
Traceability
possible to trace a sample throughout all processes in the laboratory
Indefinite
Blood bank deferred donor records
20 years
Cytogenetic reports/images
10 years
Blood bank donor/receipt records
Blood bank patient records
Blood bank employee signatures/initials
Surgical pathology (bone marrow) slides
Paraffin blocks/slides
FNA slides
Reports (surgical/cytology/nonfore nsic)
Flow cytometry plots/histograms
5 years
Blood bank QC records
Cytology slides
3 years
Cytogenetic slides
2 years
Requisitions
Accession logs
Maintenance/instrument logs
Quality control records
Clinical pathology test records
Retired laboratory procedures
2 weeks
Wet Tissue
7 days
Blood/fluid smears
Microbiology stained slides
48 hours
Serum/CSF/body fluids
24 hours
Urine