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Rapid accurate entry of microbiology results
1Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City 84132, USA.
Objective:
To develop techniques to improve efficiency and accuracy of data entry in microbiology, using a commercially available laboratory information system that is keystroke-intensive.
Design:
A combination of technologies, including bar-coded phrase sheets, keyboard macros, and bar-coded specimen labels, are used to automate the entry of commonly used keystroke sequences and combinations of culture findings.
Setting:
An acute care hospital laboratory.
Participants:
Laboratory technologists.
Outcome Measures:
Feasibility, report error rates, and technologist time.
Results:
Qualitative: implementation of all three technologies proved feasible and practical. Quantitative: a 25-fold decrease in misreported cultures, as well as a 50% saving in reading time for new urine cultures.
Conclusions:
This set of technologies for keystroke reduction would be of general applicability to laboratories with a variety of different laboratory information systems.