Advancing Practice, Instruction, and Innovation Through Informatics (APIII 2003): Scientific Session and E-Poster Abstracts

Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Oct 2004 by Becich, Michael J, Crowley, Rebecca

Technology and Design: The Coagulation Service Web site was developed using InteractiveTools.com's (Vancouver, British Columbia) Article Manager product, which allows word processor documents to be quickly published in HTML format while retaining their formatting from the word processor file. This enables Coagulation Service staff to quickly and easily update the Web site's information as the need to change any data arises. Protocol manuals are already stored in word processor files, and as these are updated, they can be ported to the Web site. In the same fashion, Mobipocket (Paris, France) was chosen as the format for publishing the site's content to handheld computers. The company's Mobipocket Office Companion product allows word processor documents to be published to both Palm and PocketPC devices, while retaining the entire original formatting. The reader is free for both platforms and is frequently already installed by many users for use with other medical knowledge bases. The existing textual information from the University of Alabama Coagulation Service was quickly converted to HTML and Mobipocket formats from the original word processor files and published on the Web at http://uabcoag.net.

Results: During the first 6 months of the site's existence (January through June 2003)-and without extensive publication of the URL while the site was being finalized-there were 8261 unique visits to the site with 33 732 total page views. On average, there were 46 unique visits to the Web site each day, viewing a total average of 189 pages. The top 5 pages viewed out of more than 300 pages (each with more than 1000 views during this period) dealt with Fibrinogen/Fibrin Degradation Products Assay (with more than 5000 views alone), Lupus Anticoagulant Profile Assay, Anticoagulant Therapy Monitoring Guidelines, Anticardiolipin IgG Antibody Assay, and Thrombophilia Guidelines.

Conclusions: During the short period of time that the Coagulation Service Web site has been operational, it is difficult to determine how the usage of laboratory tests has changed and if this has indeed resulted in more precise and more cost-effective utilization of laboratory services. However, the large number of "hits" does demonstrate that this information is useful to clinicians, and this increase in knowledge should lead to better patient care and cost savings.

Linear Transformation of Spectral Transmittance in Application to Digital Staining of Unstained Tissue Sample Image

Pinky A. Bautista, MS1 (pinki/@msuiit.edu.pli); Tokiya Abe, MS1; Masahiro Yamaguchi, PhD1; Yukako Yagi:; Nagaaki Ohyama, PhD.1 'Tokyo Institute of Technology, Imaging Science and Laboratory, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan; 2Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa; 3TeIecommunication Advancement Organization, Akasaka Natural Vision Research Center, Tokyo, Japan.

Context: The development of multispectral imaging systems has provided a novel framework for pathologic diagnosis. We examine the viability of this technology in the context of digital staining.