DOHMS' implements advanced Lab System as part of Integrated Healthcare Information Project (IHIS)

The new Lab system allows networking and system integration of Dubai's four major public hospitals and 20 healthcare centres with DOHMS to provide centralised laboratory services and seamless information transfer between the hospitals and healthcare centres.

The Lab solution, which went live recently, is driven by Misys Laboratory's Lab information system, a comprehensive, high-performance solution that manages specimen data from requisition entry to final cumulative report production.

"After implementation of the new system, all necessary patient information is easily accessible without any loss of time or money. Moreover, urgent sample processing can be delivered to the hospitals and clinics half to one hour earlier, while routine lab work done for the day is available for physician's viewing on the same day as compared to the previous system where test used to be dispatched the next day, causing delay in emergency medical cases. Lab instruments download the test request directly from the system thereby relieving the technicians from programming the instruments manually", Qadi Muroushed, Director General of Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS).

"The Department of Health and Medical Services in Dubai, a front-runner in providing world-class healthcare in the region, has been revamping its IT systems in an effort to integrate all its centres with its headquarters," said Amr Mostafa, General Manager, Al Babtain Group, (Healthcare Division). "However, medical operations being a specialised field, DOHMS needed a partner with proven expertise in this area. Al Babtain Group, (Healthcare Division) was selected for creating a solution that would enable DOHMS to achieve its goal."

"We found that Misys Laboratory provided the most appropriate solution because it allows clients to create a customised laboratory system, meeting virtually all user-specific requirements. A total of 44 lab instruments are interfaced with the system while the software has also been parameterised. We have set up a 24hour command centre to address any problems. Al Babtain also undertook training of over 400 staff members on the system including project training, core training, blood bank training, customised interface training and training via Internet," added Mostafa.

"The system is loaded with benefits, including the multi-facility support that enables multiple hospital information system interfacing with a single database, while maintaining complete patient tracking. This enables each laboratory within the enterprise to achieve high levels of service. We are delighted that our solution matched the high standards set by DOHMS." Duane Lawrence, (General Manager, Misys Healthcare Systems (International).

Under the new lab system, each time a patient visits one of the four participating hospitals or any of the twenty healthcare centres, his medical history file is automatically updated electronically to the lab's central database, which is linked to the four hospital's outpatient clinics and health care centres. Lab testing orders are placed electronically through the HIS system which are passed through an electronic interface to the lab system. This reduces the time it took earlier to get the required test requests to the lab. The test results are also automatically updated to the central database, thus making them accessible to all the hospitals and healthcare centres simultaneously.