I received an email from Digi-Trax stating it is time to renew our software maintenance contract. I wasn't aware there was a contract. For a mere $1,400 annually we will have unlimited toll free telephone support and free upgrades to any change in ISBT standards. I feel this is an outragous fee.

Any thoughts?

Thank you,

Phyllis

Hello Phillys:

Digi-Trax is sorry you did not know of our Lifecycle Software Service (LSS). We obviously have a different view and are both saddened and perplexexed by your vitrol toward Dig-Trax. The "outragous fee" you allude to pays for us to maintain a staff of Zebra certified hardware repair people to support and fix blood bank printers, software engineers who answer technical issues, validate and document our software for our LIS partners and you as an end user and software developers who are currently working full time to update and upgrade Hema Trax to provide the community with the best-of-class product. There continue to be changes and FDA issues with ISBT128.

Digi-Trax also pays a significant fee to continune to support ISBT128 and participates actively in AABB and AATB conferences and meetings on a regular basis. In adition we participate at our expense in the Americas Technical Advisory Group (ATAG) every 6 months in support of the ISBT128 initiative.

We are engaged every day in the activities of the blood banking community and proudly admit to being a profit making entity...sometimes. We would like to know what blood center you are with so we might address your concerns directly.

Respectfully;

Richard Kriozere

Hello Richard,

We are a small hospital who is struggling like most other hospitals. We don't, at present, have the staff to deal with ISBT 128. I am hoping to put off the membership fee until we have the capability to finish our ISBT project.

Respectfully,

Phyllis Picha MT(ASCP)

BB supervisor

Anna Jaques Hospital

Newburyport, MA 01950

Phillys:

Thanks for your response. I have discussed with our sales person in the East Mike waksh and he will be contacting you to see if we can help out.

Richard