Computer Problems; HCLL

[Brenda K Hutson]

Just curious how many of you use HCLL (Mediware) in your Lab? Do you feel you get good support when you have problems? We have had a major problem since yesterday; poor service in even calling back, much less resolving the problem.

Interested in other systems in-use that people are really happy with...

Thanks,

Brenda Hutson, CLS(ASCP)SBB

[L106]

We use HCLL (Mediware) in our Blood Bank. (Interfaced with Horizon Lab.) I would classify support as good (although we haven't had many problems.) (What's your recent problem?)

Donna

[Brenda K Hutson]

Tech. performed Daily Reagent QC yesterday (TEST ALL). Then wanted to QC a new Lot# of a Reagent but the entire screen went blank except for A,B. And as you know, it expires at 2359 the following night. So someone in I.S. extended the expiration and we performed it manually and documented it on a manual form; both yesterday and today. Rumor has it that it is working now. I.S. told me that their calls were not even being returned; then when they were, they were basically told that they (Mediware) had no idea what the problem was.

Without that QC date being indated, you cannot perform testing (as I 'm sure you know). I am glad that could be manipulated (though that was also done by my staff, not from Mediware).

We have been on the system since 2008 and I continue to hear complaints from the I.T. dept. about the support. I actually like the system from a bench perspective though. Very user-friendly for us.

Brenda

We use HCLL (Mediware) in our Blood Bank. (Interfaced with Horizon Lab.) I would classify support as good (although we haven't had many problems.) (What's your recent problem?)

Donna

[L106]

Hmmm.....Haven't heard of that problem, but then, I can't say that we have ever tried to QC a reagent after we had already completed the daily QC. I will keep my ears open for complaints from my I.T. dept.

I agree with you: I think HCLL is more user-friendly than other systems we evaluated. That was particularly important to us, since our staff rotate between the various Lab depts.

Donna

[Brenda K Hutson]

So you never have the scenario, where say you are running low on the current lot # of GEL cards; so you want to QC the new number to ensure there are enough to last 24 hours? And if you do that, you certainly do not need to repeat the QC on all of the other reagents; you can just repeat the Antibody Screen and GEL by clicking on TEST instead of TEST ALL.

Anyway, we do it from time to time if we have enough of a given reagent that we don't want to just toss it; but we may not have enough for 24 hours until we repeat the QC. But perhaps you perform QC each shift??

Brenda

Hmmm.....Haven't heard of that problem, but then, I can't say that we have ever tried to QC a reagent after we had already completed the daily QC. I will keep my ears open for complaints from my I.T. dept.

I agree with you: I think HCLL is more user-friendly than other systems we evaluated. That was particularly important to us, since our staff rotate between the various Lab depts.

Donna

[L106]

So you never have the scenario, where say you are running low on the current lot # of GEL cards; so you want to QC the new number to ensure there are enough to last 24 hours? And if you do that, you certainly do not need to repeat the QC on all of the other reagents.

We don't use gel. (We have a Galileo Echo and use Peg/Tube technique as our backup, and I order our tube reagents in good-size quantities so we don't change lot #s very frequently.)

[Julie Shannon]

We are an AABB IRL and we often change individual reagent lots mid-day. We just do as described, click the line we want to update, click TEST and update just that line, save and verify. We have never had any issues with that precess. We also do not use GEL but I wouldn't think that matters. We have never had suport issues - they seem to be very quick to respond. We have been live since 2006 and have few issues at this point. You are right - very uswr friendly.

[Brenda K Hutson]

Good to hear; thanks

Brenda

We are an AABB IRL and we often change individual reagent lots mid-day. We just do as described, click the line we want to update, click TEST and update just that line, save and verify. We have never had any issues with that precess. We also do not use GEL but I wouldn't think that matters. We have never had suport issues - they seem to be very quick to respond. We have been live since 2006 and have few issues at this point. You are right - very uswr friendly.