from Cerner classic to Meditech plus Echo installation

[code911]

Our lab is upgrading our old system to Meditech 5.6. This is going to be interesting. In addition, they also purchase Immucor Echo. Our current method is tube and manual gel. I dont know where to start. In 2 weeks, Meditech's hardware installation is schedule to complete. I'm thinking its probably better to finish the LIS upgrade first before ECHO instalation. Has anyone experience upgrading to a new system and methodology/equipment at the same time? I'm a little nervous about the whole thing. How are we building our BBK dictionary ? can we have our method validated as BOTH (automated and manual?)

[Dansket]

Are you required by management to implement both systems simultaneously? Do you have separate teams to assign to each project? I would focus on Meditech first and then Immucor after go-Live with Meditech. You can have multiple methods with Meditech, but you should define two sets of T-Tests to manage both manual and automated test results, e.g, anti-A manual and anti-A automated.

[tbostock]

I would do the same as Dansket suggested; too much for the techs to learn at once, and too much work for you. Get Meditech up first, then start working on the Echo. That's what we did, implemented SoftBank in March, and started working on the Tango in June, went live in November.

[Dr. Pepper]

Ditto from me, make it 2 projects. If you are doing the dictionary building and validation yourself, you will have more than enough to do plus train your techs. We went from Sunquest to Meditech, you have my sympathies. Meditech works well enough, but it's not the Cadillac of sytems.

[code911]

Hardware installation is almost complete and our next phase is dictionary building. This is a one man project the way I see it. I have to build the dictionary and validate the system at the same time .As far as Echo, I'm all there is to it as well. There will be another key operator but she's not part of any of the projects . We're so limited with staffing but I'm not far from complaining . Call it crazy but I'm very excited about the whole thing.

[carolyn swickard]

If you don't have some good guidance - Meditech dictionary building will be a huge job - took me 9 months and we had a big team (but a lousy prebuild to work with). We have an excellent LIS coordinator, but we had a very inexperienced trainer. If they have a good start on the dictionary already built in, it will certainly help you. There are many good Meditech systems out there, I don't know why they have you try and build your own each time.

The validation process is huge - usually takes me 1-2 months by myself but their validation documents are excellent - cover way more than you could ever think of yourself. Some of it may not work for your system build, but it's way better than trying to come up with all that yourself.

I would wait on the ECHO as others have suggested, but you might want to start parallel testing gel vs manual solid phase if you have the gear for it (incubator and washer and centrifuge). It is different enough that it might give you and your people a chance to get comfortable with solid phase while the computer change is going on. Still report the gel results, but get used to the solid phase.

A big part of the ECHO install with Meditech will be whether you are going to have an interface or just hand transcribe all of the results to the computer (we don't have an interface). I had heard that the Meditech/Echo interface was not going well, but that was 4 years ago and it may be worked out by now. It will be another big piece if you have to do that too.

One recommendation for the Echo - make sure you have a high speed internet connection set up so Immucor can do the remote diagnostics on the instrument. That is very valuable and will not work with a dial-up connection - too slow. DSL or better is required to move the data fast enough. If you are going to be with HCA Meditech - they will not let you have a high speed connection through the firewalls if you are interfaced - or, at least, they wouldn't let us do so 4 years ago. Maybe that has changed too.

If you can get yourself and your team used to solid phase before you start working on the Echo - the start up for it should go well. The documents from Immucor are helpful and reasonable and instrument training is good.

Best of luck - you have a long year ahead of you depending on that Meditech build.

[code911]

Thank you cswikard. Definitely a long year ahead of me. Great idea to start the parallel testing as my staff is a little nervous about the solid phase. I don't want to overwhelm them. Our team went to Meditech training for s week and the trainor seems to have a good grip of BB but I wish its a little more in-depth. We'll see how it goes.