[Centralization of all medical laboratory data by laser disk filing system]

In recent years, the medical laboratory system is being widely applied. We describe the medical laboratory system of our Saga Medical School Hospital, including the electrocardiogram (ECG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) laser disk data filing systems. The main computer system of FUJITSU M-730/4 (main memory of host computer 13 MB) handles a large amount of data, in the fields of chemistry, hematology, serology, microbiology, blood banking and histology laboratory. All 17 chemistry and hematology automatic analyzers are linked through communication lines to the main computer. The important tasks of this system are data processing, storing of information in the database, data reporting and quality control statistics. This laboratory system is also connected to the total hospital information system of FUJITSU M-760, main memory 48 MB. For pattern recognition, ECG and EEG laser disk data filing systems have been constructed. The main purpose of these filing systems is mass storage of analog data signals in laser disk, computer assisted analysis and data communication. ECG and EEG analog data are converted into digital form by the analog-to-digital converter, and then transmitted over hospital telephone lines to the central computer system for analysis. The computer assisted statements are then sent back to the ECG terminals at the nurse station. As necessary, after the physician reads over the ECG, statements are printed in the final reports. These optical reporting systems are also linked to the total hospital information system. One of the main tasks in the laboratory is the control of the seemingly endless paper work.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)