Difference between revisions of "Handling addon tubes"

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(New page: There are a few ways of dealing with pulled add-on tubes in tube.tracker. At the heart of your decision is really the trade-off between operational efficiency and situational awareness. Be...)
 
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There are a few ways of dealing with pulled add-on tubes in tube.tracker. At the heart of your decision is really the trade-off between operational efficiency and situational awareness. Below are some options in order of increasing complexity:
 
There are a few ways of dealing with pulled add-on tubes in tube.tracker. At the heart of your decision is really the trade-off between operational efficiency and situational awareness. Below are some options in order of increasing complexity:
  
*Status quo
+
==Status quo==
**'''Description:''' add-on tubes are taken from storage without updating tube.tracker. When finished, tubes can be returned to their original location.
+
*'''Description:''' add-on tubes are taken from storage without updating tube.tracker. When finished, tubes can be returned to their original location.
**'''Pros:''' No additional ‘work’ required in tube.tracker.
+
*'''Pros:''' No additional ‘work’ required in tube.tracker.
**'''Cons:''' tube.tracker database inaccurately reflects specimen’s status and history
+
*'''Cons:''' tube.tracker database inaccurately reflects specimen’s status and history
**'''Applications:''' Small labs with small numbers of people handling specimens with good communications
+
*'''Applications:''' Small labs with small numbers of people handling specimens with good communications
*Physical/mechanical placeholders
+
 
**'''Description:''' when removing an add-on specimen, a physical marker of some sort is placed in the specimen’s rack position, indicating that the specimen has been temporarily removed
+
==Physical/mechanical placeholders==
**'''Pros:''' This is a fairly simple and elegant process that requires no additional work in tube.tracker
+
*'''Description:''' when removing an add-on specimen, a physical marker of some sort is placed in the specimen’s rack position, indicating that the specimen has been temporarily removed
**'''Cons:''' Workers must manage and handle placeholders. System relies on techs accurately implementing the system and returning specimens back to their previous positions. Specimen’s history does not reflect these transactions.
+
*'''Pros:''' This is a fairly simple and elegant process that requires no additional work in tube.tracker
**'''Applications:''' Medium sized labs with accountable and communicative staff.
+
*'''Cons:''' Workers must manage and handle placeholders. System relies on techs accurately implementing the system and returning specimens back to their previous positions. Specimen’s history does not reflect these transactions.
*Delete/re-add addons
+
*'''Applications:''' Medium sized labs with accountable and communicative staff.
**'''Description:''' add-on tubes are deleted from tube.tracker individually as they are pulled for re-testing. Upon completing of use, the specimen is added back to storage with newer post-analytical specimens.
+
 
**'''Pros:''' A fairly efficient way to keep an accurate electronic inventory of specimens.
+
==Delete/re-add addons==
**'''Cons:''' When the specimen is ‘re-added’ in a new rack, the history of its previous life in storage is treated as a separate specimen. This could be problematic with some types of testing such as chain-of-custody toxicology.
+
*'''Description:''' add-on tubes are deleted from tube.tracker individually as they are pulled for re-testing. Upon completing of use, the specimen is added back to storage with newer post-analytical specimens.
**'''Applications:''' Large, production laboratories with high throughput
+
*'''Pros:''' A fairly efficient way to keep an accurate electronic inventory of specimens.
*Track every movement of the specimen
+
*'''Cons:''' When the specimen is ‘re-added’ in a new rack, the history of its previous life in storage is treated as a separate specimen. This could be problematic with some types of testing such as chain-of-custody toxicology.
**'''Description:''' Add-on tubes are transferred into temporary holding racks that represent the person or department performing the add-on. Upon completion of testing, the specimen is then transferred to a new rack or its original location.
+
*'''Applications:''' Large, production laboratories with high throughput
**'''Pros:''' This provides the most accurate and comprehensive view of a specimens status and history.  
+
 
**'''Cons:''' This is the most work-intensive process. The process may have difficulties getting buy in from the participants if the benefits from the enhanced tracking are not apparent to the users
+
==Track every movement of the specimen==
**'''Applications:''' Specialized, regulates, or multi-homed laboratories requiring detailed and comprehensive ‘birth to death’ specimen tracking
+
*'''Description:''' Add-on tubes are transferred into temporary holding racks that represent the person or department performing the add-on. Upon completion of testing, the specimen is then transferred to a new rack or its original location.
 +
*'''Pros:''' This provides the most accurate and comprehensive view of a specimens status and history.  
 +
*'''Cons:''' This is the most work-intensive process. The process may have difficulties getting buy in from the participants if the benefits from the enhanced tracking are not apparent to the users
 +
*'''Applications:''' Specialized, regulates, or multi-homed laboratories requiring detailed and comprehensive ‘birth to death’ specimen tracking

Revision as of 19:34, 29 April 2009

There are a few ways of dealing with pulled add-on tubes in tube.tracker. At the heart of your decision is really the trade-off between operational efficiency and situational awareness. Below are some options in order of increasing complexity:

Status quo

  • Description: add-on tubes are taken from storage without updating tube.tracker. When finished, tubes can be returned to their original location.
  • Pros: No additional ‘work’ required in tube.tracker.
  • Cons: tube.tracker database inaccurately reflects specimen’s status and history
  • Applications: Small labs with small numbers of people handling specimens with good communications

Physical/mechanical placeholders

  • Description: when removing an add-on specimen, a physical marker of some sort is placed in the specimen’s rack position, indicating that the specimen has been temporarily removed
  • Pros: This is a fairly simple and elegant process that requires no additional work in tube.tracker
  • Cons: Workers must manage and handle placeholders. System relies on techs accurately implementing the system and returning specimens back to their previous positions. Specimen’s history does not reflect these transactions.
  • Applications: Medium sized labs with accountable and communicative staff.

Delete/re-add addons

  • Description: add-on tubes are deleted from tube.tracker individually as they are pulled for re-testing. Upon completing of use, the specimen is added back to storage with newer post-analytical specimens.
  • Pros: A fairly efficient way to keep an accurate electronic inventory of specimens.
  • Cons: When the specimen is ‘re-added’ in a new rack, the history of its previous life in storage is treated as a separate specimen. This could be problematic with some types of testing such as chain-of-custody toxicology.
  • Applications: Large, production laboratories with high throughput

Track every movement of the specimen

  • Description: Add-on tubes are transferred into temporary holding racks that represent the person or department performing the add-on. Upon completion of testing, the specimen is then transferred to a new rack or its original location.
  • Pros: This provides the most accurate and comprehensive view of a specimens status and history.
  • Cons: This is the most work-intensive process. The process may have difficulties getting buy in from the participants if the benefits from the enhanced tracking are not apparent to the users
  • Applications: Specialized, regulates, or multi-homed laboratories requiring detailed and comprehensive ‘birth to death’ specimen tracking