Importing Lab Results from Gamma-DynaCare
Date of Tech Note: 19 July 1999
Enhancement: 5 July 1999
Bug Fix: N/A
Description
This document describes the enhancements made to the importing of the Gamma-DynaCare lab results that are provided electronically by Gamma-DynaCare. The electronic files, are the same electronic files that were sent to be printed out. As such they do not lend themselves well to importing into a data base to be placed into distinct fields for further analysis.
Additionally, at the time of this document, Gamma-DynaCare does not provide several of their lab results in electronic format. Until they do those reports will still be received via paper.
There are two specific enhancements to the importing of the lab results.
1 - The results are imported in two ways. First they are imported as a lab report similar to the paper format. These are stored in the Lab Report file. This is a new file and is accessed by Productivity --> Lab Result Reports.
2. The results are also stored in the original file as distinct lab results. These are results that will contain a numerical value for those tests that have a numerical value. From here the physician can look at specific results over a period of time to see the change, as well as be able to graph the results.
The process of importing the results has not changed, other than the place where this can be accessed.
Downloading the Lab Results
The process of downloading the results is the responsibility of Gamma-DynaCare. This information is here only for a quick reference for you. They may change this process at any time without notifying Jonoke.
- Double click on the icon to connect up to Gamma-DynaCare.
You will be presented with the dialog indicating the the computer is attempting to log onto the Gamma-DynaCare computer.
- Use the name and password assigned to you by Gamma-DynaCare to down load the results.
- Once the results have been downloaded the download program will quit and you will be back at the windows desktop.
- Double click on the Move Results icon
This program will move the file from where it was downloaded to the folder called INBOX on your C Drive. It will do this only if there is not a previous lab result file in the folder. The program will then ‘UnZip’ the file so that it can be read by MediFile.
Once it is done, it will inform you that it has finished. Just press any key to quit the program.
Importing the Lab Results into MediFile
From the Main menu (splash screen) of MediFile select Productivity --> Custom Reports.
From the Report selection dialog select ‘Import Lab Results
From the Lab Selection popup select Gamma-DynaCare.
From the File selection dialog select the INBOX folder (or the folder set by DynaCare for the lab results).
Click on the Select button.
MediFile will now start to import the file(s) in the folder. You will be presented with the following dialog box showing you the progress of the lab import.
When it is done, the dialog will just go away, and you will be back at the MediFile splash screen.
MediFile will check to see if the this file has been imported previously. If it has you will get a message that it has been imported before.
MediFile tracks which files have been imported before in the Batch File. This can be accessed by the System Administrators.
File --> Administration --> Page 2.
From the Import Lab Results popup select Lab Batches.
Press Show all to see all the files that have been imported. Unfortunately Gamma-DynaCare does not names its files uniquely. They are all named the same. Therefore you will need to rely on the the date of import and the Lab Batch number to determine which file is the duplicate. MediFile will tell you which Lab Batch file it indicates is the duplicate.
If you know that the file was not imported, and you want to import it you can delete the Lab Batch record.
Reading the Lab Results
There are two areas where the lab results are stored. The intent is that the physicians will read the report in the typical ‘written’ format for the first time. Once they are read there they will be deleted automatically by MediFile.
After that, the physicians can find the results in the Lab Result file. In this file the results are stored as individual results. This way the past (ie. 20) results of the same type of test can be quickly displayed, compared, and graphed.
Reading the Written Report1
• From the Productivity Menu select Lab Result Report.
This will bring up the output layout for the Lab Result Reports file.
• Click on the MINE button.
This will tell MediFile to search for all Lab Result Reports that Gamma-DynaCare flagged for you.
• The lab results will be of three types.
- ‘Norm’ --> Normal (as indicated by the lab)
- ‘Abn’ --> Abnormal (as indicated by the lab)
- No Status (as indicated by the lab) - therefore MediFile displays them in RED
In the figure above, you can see how MediFile displays the summary information. You are provided with the following information:
- Area Account (Doctor) that the result was sent to
- Import Date - Date that the result was imported into MediFile
- Patient - Patient’s name as stored in MediFile
- Read - checkbox to indicate that the result was read or not
- Result - Abnormal / Normal / or Not Indicated
- Report Date - Date the Lab generated the report
- Untitled column - MediFile number of the patient.
The first page of the lab report result gives you a small view of the lab result along with some other information. In most cases you will not use this view of the result to read the report.
Click on the Expand button to get a larger view of the report.
On the top of the expanded view you have a checkbox, a popup, and 4 or more buttons.
• Read Checkbox - click on this to indicate to MediFile that you read this report
• Action Name Popup - Select an action for MediFile to perform in relation to this report
• Recall Button - Click on this button to send a recall request via E-Mail
• << Button - Click on this button to read the previous report
• >> Button - Click on this button to read the next report
• Info Button - Click this to bring up the Patient Info Access Palette
• 10 Button - Click on this button to use a 10 point font to display the results
• 12 Button - Click on this button to use a 12 point font to display the results
• 14 Button - Click on this button to use a 14 point font to display the results2
This button may not be available for your computer’s screen size
• Done button - Press this button to go back to page one of the lab result report.
When you move to the expanded view, the lab report will be formatted as intended.
Info Button
The Info button is a new feature to MediFile that is a small indication of what is coming in version 3.0 of MediFile. This floating palette provides access to various information about the patient.
Click on this button if you need to read previous encounters about the patient, previous lab results, view when their next appointment is, or several other aspects of this patient’s medical record.
When you click on this button a floating palette of buttons will be displayed.
Click on one of the buttons to view the information contained in the record as indicated by the button name. Note, that these buttons have the same information as is available in the Patient Master Record. Therefore if you want to view previous lab information you can through the Lab button.
As in the Patient Master Record you can view the detail of the result by highlighting it, and then clicking on the View button.
If you had selected multiple results you can move between them by clicking on the ‘<< or >>’ buttons.
1 Once Gamma-DynaCare modifies their electronic format for data base import we will be able to display the results in a format with the additional column with the ‘out of range’ values. Until then, each result will need to be viewed and determined if it is the out of range result.
2 Depending on the size of computer screen you have MediFile will move to a display screen as large as your screen will permit. You can then use the size buttons to enlarge or decrease the size of the text in the display area..
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