Data management in the vascular laboratory

As the clinical workload in the vascular laboratory increases and as the demand for additional documentation by hospital oversight committees and outside agencies grow, the need for computerized data management will become obvious. Although there are no generic, broadly applicable software programs to automate the laboratory's operations, applications can easily be developed using any of the current database programs to meet the needs of most laboratories. Fortunately, the intense competition in the microcomputer industry has recently made very powerful systems that are capable of providing the necessary computing support increasingly affordable. Such systems can be very simple or incredibly complex depending on the available local expertise and each laboratory's specific needs. In addition to facilitating the laboratory's daily operations, such a system will inevitably expedite the implementation of the laboratory's quality assurance program and will maximize utilization of existing personnel. This type of cost-effective solution to the ever-increasing demand for service will become increasingly important in maintaining the laboratory's fiscal viability. Although the prospects of undertaking such a task might seem daunting, especially to the computer novice, it is important to begin. Keep the system simple, at first, and allow it to develop as local expertise and confidence develop. The only prospect more frightening that sitting down to develop a computerized system for managing the laboratory's data, is the prospect of trying to continue without one!