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Electronic database to replace lab reports The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine will no longer be printing green and pink border reports for the inpatient chart effective Aug. 1.  The decision to quit printing the reports is based on several factors including: Implementation of electronic databases and policy changes in Health Information Services (Medical Records) has made printing and charting these reports a duplicate and unnecessary process. A recent audit demonstrates that only about 60 percent of all green and pink border lab reports can actually be found on the average patient chart. The majority of patient care staff and physicians surveyed indicate that OACIS is already the preferred method of retrieving lab reports. Eliminating this process will be a cost benefit to the Medical University. The following are some frequently asked questions regarding this change: Will the change affect outpatient reports?  No. Will the change affect pathology reports?  No. Will the change affect the ‘STAT’ reports that are generated throughout the day on ‘STAT’ printers in the ER and ICU’s?  No. Could a discharge summary of labs be printed for the patient chart?  No. Health Information Services ( Medical Records)  removes and shreds all lab reports from the chart prior to storing the chart or scanning into OMNIVISION. Lab results should be accessed using OACIS and OMNIVISION. Will the results from the send-out tests be able to be viewed in OACIS? The results that were previously printed on the lab summary reports are the same as those results that can be viewed in OACIS. As has been done in the past, hard copies of extensive interpretive data that cannot be transferred into Cerner/OACIS will be sent to the requesting physician and then scanned into OMNIVISION. What about inspections, regulations and legal issues? Consultation and approval for this change has been obtained from Risk Management, Legal Counsel, Compliance, and Health Information Services. This decision is also supported by the HIS Advisory and the Medical Executive Committees. What about transferred patients and the record that is sent with them? A transfer envelope is prepared for each transferred patient. The envelope contains a checklist of items to copy or reprint and enclose. The actual medical record is, of course, maintained at MUSC. Lab reports for the applicable inpatient stay can be obtained by calling Lab Client Services at 792-0707 or can be printed from OACIS. How will I obtain lab results from previous inpatient encounters for a patient who has been readmitted? Upon readmission, some patients will have a paper medical record and some will have an electronic medical record.  Regardless of the type of record, all lab reports must be accessed using OACIS. Some send out tests will be available only in OmniVision, which also will be accessible via OACIS shortly. Can I still get summary reports that display lab results similar to the chart summary reports? Yes. In the case of special needs, such as physician consultations, Cerner reports may be requested from Lab Client Services. In addition, OACIS has the capability to filter and sort lab results tomeet user specifications. What kind of OACIS training might be offered to increase proficiency? There are several options for OACIS training: classroom, CBT (Computer Based Training), in-service (only done for 6+ persons) and a training manual. The OACIS CBT is on every ClinLAN desktop and is available on CD-ROM at the MUSC Library.  The emerald Web site (http://emerald.musc.edu; click on ‘training’ then ‘lab reports going electronic’) also has some computerized EXE files which are like movies that demonstrate how to use some OACIS functions. How will I access lab reports if OACIS is down? The OACIS database is rarely down down. Lab reports will continue to print on the ‘STAT’ printers in the ER and ICU’s even if OACIS is down. Other results would need to be accessed using Cerner; to obtain these, call Lab Client Services at 792-0707.  Downtime Folder If you are a ClinLAN user and there are problems with the ClinLAN network,OACIS may be accessed from the downtime folder. To access the downtime folder from a ClinLAN workstation, click the start menu, then click programs, then the downtime folder, and then the OACISicon.  OACIS access via the Internet For off-campus access or for non-ClinLAN workstation users, OACIS may be accessed via WebApps.  The http://webapps.musc.edu site connects you with a Citrix Server, which allows you to run network applications from any PC or Macintosh. To learn more about setting up WebApps (e.g., applications offered; obtaining an account; configuring a workstation) see the CCIT Web site (select “Computing Accounts,” then WebApps).  What if I have a question about accessing labs that has not been answered? E-mail questions regarding cessation of these lab reports to labhelp@musc.edu.