The InnKlinikum Altötting and Mühldorf includes four locations: Altötting, Mühldorf, Burghausen, and Haag. The clinics are academic teaching hospitals of LMU Munich and the largest and most powerful healthcare provider in the Inn-Salzach region.
Maximum information flow without media disruptions
The goal of the decision-makers at InnKlinikum Altötting and Mühldorf was to create a consistent IT concept with maximum information flow in the laboratory and on the wards. In addition to streamlining organizational processes, telephone and personal communication regarding additional requests and other inquiries was to be minimized. A centralized LIS installation with decentralized use across departments and locations was key to achieving this goal.
LabCentre impressed the clinics on the technical side with its multi-facility concept, which allows easy processing of laboratory requests at changing locations while ensuring data and fail-safety. Moreover, the system met all the requirements of an ISO-certified institution for consistent documentation and traceability.
“We were particularly convinced by the high degree of parameterization of the solution,” explains Harald Maier, Laboratory Director at InnKlinikum Altötting and Mühldorf. “Since LabCentre is very practice-oriented, the IT could be fully adapted to our workflows, not the other way around. In addition, LabCentre runs absolutely reliably.”
Short system implementation without project risks
The LabCentre system was implemented quickly and smoothly. After transferring laboratory results and blood types from the previous ELIS system, the new solution went live. Initially, the intensive care unit was equipped with a workstation, and the inventory including current stock levels was digitally mapped in LabCentre. Since then, all product entries and exits have been recorded decentrally at the intensive care workstation. Today, in addition to the laboratory, all wards and functional departments work with LabCentre.
There were no significant technical project risks, as data security was – as it is today in live operation – always ensured through centralized data backups on the IT servers in the event of system or database failure. For the go-live, all system administrators and users were trained on the new solution.
“As we upgraded from a small to a larger solution, the transition went smoothly, and Mesalvo supported us throughout. The project was well prepared with a comprehensive specification sheet and productive coordination meetings in Bochum and Altötting,” recalls Harald Maier and adds, “The collaboration was always extremely cooperative and results-oriented. Our individual user requirements were especially taken into account.”
Digital blood product management as a central task
For all cellular blood products such as red cell concentrates (RCC), platelet concentrates (PC), and fresh frozen plasma (FFP), the clinics already used nearly complete electronic documentation of batch data, both product- and patient-specific, with the old system. However, for other batch-documentation-required blood products not always issued per patient – such as coagulation factors – the administration had to be recorded manually in ward blood books and laboriously checked by the pharmacy.
A look-back request from the blood donation service could only be answered with great effort, involving manual searches through the books for the requested time period. Given the long storage times of certain products, this became a mammoth task. Moreover, the requirement from medical controlling to transmit all expenses – including those for blood products – by case and per day was simply not feasible with the old system.
“We therefore decided to use the existing LabCentre blood bank solution, originally designed primarily for RCC, also for all other blood products and to document administration decentrally, patient- and application-specific in real-time,” explains Harald Maier. “To do this, we assigned pseudo service codes to the issuance of blood products, so that each application is immediately transmitted along with the performance data.”
Complete transparency over all blood products
The InnKlinikum Altötting and Mühldorf today gains multiple benefits from its decentralized LIS solution. The focus is on the secure documentation of all blood products via simple scanning and immediate capture of each application with simultaneous assignment to the patient. The receipt and issuance of blood products become fully transparent, providing a complete overview of stock – even on the wards. The inventory is available in real-time, simplifying the ordering process considerably.
All documentation-required blood products are now recorded in one system, eliminating the time-consuming research across different IT systems (laboratory, pharmacy, HIS, etc.) or manual blood books. This also enables real-time product- and patient-specific look-backs. The solution supports full performance recording of OPS codes within DRGs and the capture of all additional charges (e.g. irradiated, washed, cross-matched externally, etc.). All costs and services are transmitted to medical controlling in real-time via the HIS. Ultimately, physicians on the wards benefit from maximum transparency and information about the extent of treatment with blood products in line with hemotherapy guidelines.
All in one solution, including statistics
LabCentre covers all work areas within one solution. Thus, a uniform process for requests from the blood bank and clinical chemistry modules is ensured. Additionally, it includes a highly capable statistics tool. On the user side, the consistent routine handling from a single interface and the high information density – supported by various icons and color codes such as “validated,” “printed,” “changed,” “called,” etc. – are very well received. This led to high user acceptance right from the start.
Simple data exchange with the HIS
LabCentre automatically exchanges all relevant information such as lab results and services via interface with the existing HIS. The creation of lab invoices is done directly within the LIS with subsequent transfer of billing data to accounting. Numerous devices and subsystems are also connected to LabCentre, including POCT, a solution for the emergency department, and about 20 lab analyzers.
Optimal lab routine for staff and patients
Immediately after going live with the new solution, the clinics observed significant improvements in workflows related to lab routines. Since the issuance of blood products no longer happens on paper but electronically via LabCentre, insight into inventory has been available at all times from the beginning.
Today, the clinic operates cross-site sample logistics with seamless electronic information flow. Processing speed is high, as samples can be analyzed at both sites on the lab devices.
Staff also benefit from maximum information and time savings by avoiding telephone inquiries. In addition, the system ensures greater reliability of lab results through consistent validation. Valid lab values increase patient safety and improve handling of blood products. Ultimately, patients receive faster diagnostics and a clear presentation of findings.
LabCentre also scores in terms of cost-effectiveness. Controlling benefits from lab statistics that allow for better spending control and timely billing of all services provided. Clearer inventory analyses help avoid expiration of documentation-required blood products.
Outlook: Prepared for the future
In the long term, the clinics plan to integrate third-party laboratories to collaborate with other healthcare providers and incorporate external requests and findings into their own lab system. The statistical features will also be expanded using LabCentre Analytics to enable more in-depth business analysis and evaluations for economic management.
