[Histonet] Slide labels or slide labeler

[Frazier, John]

As a AP workflow consultant, I look at the pro’s and con’s of each system
and come up with a plan or product that best meets the needs of the
individual lab. With that being said here are the variable I consider:

1. Size or foot print vs. work space
2. Cost per unit (also keep in mind additional units for growth and
replacement units due to catastrophic failure)
3. Cost of consumables. Tape, labels
4. Do I have to buy the printer company’s slides
5. You should have one printer per microtomy work station to ensure single
piece flow. Do not buy one printer from all slide printing which ensures
batch slide printing.
6. Maintenance requirements, (Daily, weekly, etc.) Time to perform the
maintenance.
7. Reliability, dependability, reputation and speed of the printer company
or seller for maintenance and, solution resolutions
8. The print on the slide or label must be highly xylene  and heat
resistant for slide data integrity. If you cure your slides prior to
storage, the label sometimes can turn black from the heat.
9. Is the printer going to be connected to a system that reads the Bar Code
from the LIS in order to create the label or the individual labeled slide
one at a time.
10. Speed of slide or label printing.
11. Frequency of loading the slides vs. labels
11. Will the label interfere with coverslipping

And that’s all I got to say about that.

Sent from my iPad

On Mar 8, 2018, at 3:32 PM, Blazek, Linda <lblazek at digestivespecialists.com>
wrote:

I've used the Primera slide printer since it came out.  I like it a lot.
It needs it's maintenance kept up like anything else but other than
cleaning the rollers there is very little else that needs cleaning.

Linda Blazek HT (ASCP)
Pathology Lab Manager
GI Pathology of Dayton
Digestive Specialists, Inc
Phone: (937) 396-2623
Email: lblazek at digestivespecialists.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Victor via Histonet [mailto:histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu
<histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu>]
Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2018 5:59 PM
To: Vickroy, James; histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Slide labels or slide labeler

James,

I totally agree with your assessment of the Slidemate printers. Have not
had any experience with the newer model.
Applying slide labels shouldn’t be an issue when dealing with one block and
slide(s) at a time.  Some of this could depend upon your software available
to you. Our system generated just the labels needed for the block you were
cutting, on demand. You should be able to get a nice Zebra printer for
under $700.

Another of our labs used the new Sakura/Premera printer and really like it.

Victor

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Vickroy, James via Histonet
Sent: Wednesday, March 7, 2018 2:12 PM
To: histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Slide labels or slide labeler

We have used the older version Slidemate slide labelers from Thermofisher
for the last three years.   I think putting the patient information
directly on the slide is preferred however the wear and tear on slide
printers means higher maintenance costs and more down time.  Thermofisher
has a newer version of the Slidemate now that has been designed so that
there is less wear and tear on the machines.   Currently when one of the
old labelers breaks down we have to send the instrument out and the cost is
generally 1000 - 1500 for repair each time.    It also seems that the older
machines have to be sent in at least every other year.  Our older machines
have been sent in almost yearly.

We are considering switching to a slide label making system by General
Data.   One of the downsides is that we have to apply the label to each
slide so therefore we introduce another step where the slides could be
mislabeled.   The upside is that equipment costs are much less.   A new
thermal label printer runs around 700.00 where as the instrument that
imprints the slide label on the slide runs between 12000 - 15000 per unit.
We need three units.
Thermo also offers a lease system.    What I need to know is what has been
the experience with the new Slidemate AS printers?   What kind of
maintenance issues have you encountered? Finally please let me know your
latest experiences with both slide label printers versus slide labeling
printers?

Thanks for your input.

Jim


Jim Vickroy
Histology Manager
Springfield Clinic, Main Campus, East Building
1025 South 6th Street
Springfield, Illinois  62703
Office:  217-528-7541, Ext. 15121
Email:  jvickroy at SpringfieldClinic.com<mailto:jvickroy at SpringfieldClinic.com
<jvickroy at SpringfieldClinic.com>>



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