[Histonet] Specimen Tracking Systems

[WILLIAM DESALVO]

My lab chose the Ventana Vantage System w/ Thermo PrintMate cassette printers. We are a multi-location system and Vantage works well for us. We wanted a robust tracking and flexible quality assurance system and Ventana provided what we needed and wanted.
 
I suggest you look at the big four to start your evaluation:
Ventana - Vantage
Leica- Cerebro
Thermo- OmniTrax 
General Data - HTS
 
The larger companies have more interfaces built for the different LIS used in Histology. There are many smaller companies that offer tracking systems, but make sure they can connect w/ your LIS.  After product selection, support is critical.
 
Sunquest and Cerner Millennium now offer tracking and quality assurance modules. And I imagine there are other tracking systems built into more LIS.
 
You will also want to evaluate multiple printers for your cassettes. Always keep in mind the amount of information you will be adding to the cassette a this will reduce the number of cassettes/ minute. Start w/ the tracking system vendor and see what the have validated. Consider the upkeep and maintenance of the printer. We choose heat transfer, but there are Laser and Ink-jet that work really well. We chose to point of generation and wanted a very small footprint to place the printers in the grossing stations.
 
We also choose not to use a slide printing system and decided the bar coded labels at microtomy was the best solution for us. We wanted less maintenance and steady throughput. Easier to load a roll of labels than keeping a printer up and running.
 
Last, but certainly not least, support. You will need a ton of support to work through this project: interfaces, IT upgrades, software adjustments, WORKFLOW changes and training. Plan and re-plan before you make your selection. And negotiate hard, the pricing is all over the place for the systems.   
 

William DeSalvo, BS HTL(ASCP)
Production Manager-Anatomic Pathology
Chair, NSH Quality Management Committee
Board Member, Digital Pathology Association
Owner/Consultant, Collaborative Advantage Consulting

 
> From: mroark <@t> sfmc.net
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 20:21:47 +0000
> Subject: [Histonet] Specimen Tracking Systems
> 
> What systems are people using for specimen tracking?  I'm looking for the whole package of cassette printers, work station slide printers, tracking software, etc...
> 
> Any help and recommendations would be appreciated!
> 
> 
> 
> Matthew Roark- HT/HTL(ASCP)CM
> Histology Specialist
> Saint Francis Medical Center
> 211 Saint Francis Drive
> Cape Girardeau, MO 63703
> 573-331-3982
> mroark <@t> sfmc.net<mailto:mroark <@t> sfmc.net>
> http://www.sfmc.net<http://www.sfmc.net/>
> 
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