[Histonet] Re: LIS Systems

[Robert Richmond]

I've encountered many pathology information systems in my travels, and
have yet to see one anybody liked very much. I'd note:

Many stand-alone pathology information systems can be interfaced with
laboratory information systems (LIS) through a standard interface such
as HL7, but be very dubious about such claims - ask a customer.

I never saw a system that was pathologist-centric. (I've seen one that
didn't have a text editor - no way to generate a surgical pathology
report.) I don't know who-centric they are - perhaps
transcriptionist-centric. In most systems I've seen, either a senior
transcriptionist or the laboratory computer guru spent endless hours
on the phone with customer support. - I'd visit a lab that had the
system and ask what everybody who uses it has to say.

Ask what happens to all the pathology records if management at some
time in the future decides to change to a different system.

In addition to the brand names mentioned, I'd look at WindoPath -
cheap and easily interfaced. I used it briefly once and liked it,
though I am hardly an experienced user.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Knoxville TN