2/22/07, Hospital Lab to be Computerized

Community Memorial Hospital has received a $20,000 grant from the Mid-York Foundation. The funding will be used to help computerize the hospital's laboratory.

"The Board of Directors, the Medical Staff, everyone connected with Community Memorial Hospital is pleased with this significant grant from the Mid-York Foundation," said Hospital President David W. Felton. "We certainly appreciate Mid-York Foundation's continued commitment to healthcare and the well-being of the people of this area."

Community Memorial is working with Omnitech of Quebec, Canada, to install a customized computer system that will link the laboratory with all hospital departments, the five Family Health Centers and physicians' offices. The network will mean that test results will be available as soon as they are processed, including the partial results of multi-test orders.

The laboratory at Community Memorial Hospital is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is staffed continuously. Lab Director and Pathologist Rachel Elder, MD, Lab Manager Diane Harrington, BS, ASCP and Assistant Lab Manager Dawn Monette BS, ASCP oversee operations. Monette, who has conducted extensive research for the project and will be instrumental in the implementation of the new software and hardware, sums up computerization of the lab simply.

"We will be able to provide a better quality of care."

The laboratory staff of 25 includes phlebotomists and New York State licensed clinical laboratory technologists and technicians. The lab performs approximately 350,000 tests annually in the areas of chemistry, hematology, urinanalysis, serology, microbiology, blood gases and blood banking and is able to handle 90 percent of the ordered tests on site.

The laboratory was surveyed this summer by the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and was found to be in compliance. In addition to the overwhelmingly positive report, special mention was made of the knowledge level of the technologists and technicians and the efficient use of space in the laboratory.

Laboratory equipment represents the most innovative technology with the exception of an antiquated computer system. Currently, staff has to fax results and there is no direct linkage to the floors or offices. With the new system, physicians will be able to access reports throughout the hospital, even partial reports can be sent. The savings in time and the greater accuracy of a direct linkage between the laboratory and the healthcare providers can be critical. Additionally, the technology allows for complete past testing records to be available and provides accurate tracking for every test.

"The Mid-York Foundation is pleased to be of assistance to such an invaluable asset to the community as Community Memorial Hospital," said Acting Mid-York President Terry Murphy. "The Mid-York Foundation was formed to improve the quality of life in the Central New York area and providing support to healthcare providers has traditionally played a large role."