The Medical Microbiology and Infection Control (MMI) department at the VU Medical Centre in Amsterdam is close to completing the implementation of a new Lims
The Medical Microbiology and Infection Control (MMI) department at the VU Medical Centre in Amsterdam is close to completing the implementation of a new laboratory information management system from Applied Biosystems.
Carol van der Palen, informatics and process support consultant at the centre, explained: "The existing software could not cope with the increasing amounts of data being produced by our high throughput instruments and an alternative had to be found.
Using a rigorous selection procedure, which included hypothetical case studies and on-site evaluations, we narrowed our search from seven companies down to Applied Biosystems." Van der Palen continued: "the SQL Lims version 4 package we chose addresses all the bottlenecks in our workflow, meets the tough certification requirements of the laboratories and allows integration of the current hospital information management system.
"Applied Biosystems is developing a daily journal especially for the bacteriology laboratory that will give the microbiologists a single overview of a patient's bacterial study on which to base their decisions.
"I'm particularly looking forward to seeing this when it is finished." According to Andre Crone, project manager for Applied Biosystems in Holland, a new software component which seamlessly integrates different software applications is proving particularly successful in environments such as the Amsterdam laboratory.
Dr van der Palen concluded: "Applied Biosystems's informatics team has a very positive attitude, which was evident early in the selection process.
"They are very friendly and professional, care about what they are doing and are very open to hearing about, and trying to accommodate, any ideas we have.
"If we have a question, we know we can phone them and get an answer very quickly.
"They have already begun to train the laboratory staff so we can start work as soon as possible after the project's completion in January 2004."
