Connectivity

Connectivity can be defined as the connection between two or more systems through which information is exchanged. These systems may be alike but most often they are not, each speaking their own language and processing data in their own specific, and sometimes, unique formats.

In this modern age of computerization, those charged with the responsibility of selecting a Laboratory Information System (LIS) must purchase and implement an LIS that not only communicates with these different types of systems, but can be seamlessly integrated with multiple systems such as Electronic Medical Records (EMR), Practice Management, Hospital Information, and Billing systems, clinical instruments and printing devices.

There are arguably four levels of implementation for interfacing a LIS to another clinical system:

1. Receiving patient demographic information
2. Receiving patient orders
3. Sending patient result information
4. Sending patient billing information

Any number of scenarios can exist. The task may be to receive patient information from one system and send completed results to a completely different system. Another scenario may be to receive orders and return completed results to the same system while sending the billing information to another system.

Attempts to standardize the complexity of these tasks have been somewhat aided by standards published by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the American Society of Tests and Measurements (ASTM), and member organizations like Health Level Seven (HL-7).

Health Level Seven is the most common messaging standard in the healthcare industry. Formed in 1987, the goal of HL7 was to develop an international set of open standards for data format and content that simplifies communication between different health information systems. Today, most clinical systems use these guidelines as standards for interconnectivity.

The American Society of Tests and Measurements has published two of their own standards that address the issues of intersystem communications. One standard addresses communication between a computer system and clinical instruments (ASTM 1394-91); the other addresses communications between two computer systems, such as LIS to an EMR (ASTM 1238-94). Both of these standards provide a generic protocol to aid in the development of data interchange systems.

It is in the area of connectivity that Fletcher-Flora has developed an impressive set of credentials and references. During more than thirty years of being a data management company, we have gained a tremendous amount of experience and expertise using these communication protocols to achieve comprehensive and seamless integration. Additionally, Fletcher-Flora has gained the recognition of our business colleagues who build and supply Practice Management, Hospital Information and Electronic Medical Record systems as the company who has made a major contribution in the quest for the paperless office and laboratory. Read on to learn more about our approach to system and instrument integration.

If the plan for your Laboratory Information System includes integration of systems, clinical instruments and other devices, please call Fletcher-Flora, the company known for Connecting the Industry.