LabDAQ LIS Helps the UNC Project Improve Patient Care for People Living with HIV and AIDS in Malawi, Africa

Antek HealthWare successfully overcame distance and cultural differences to install a custom laboratory information system in the University of North Carolina’s laboratory in Malawi, Africa.

The University of North Carolina Project is a collaboration between the University of North Carolina and the Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) of the Malawi Ministry of Health in Lilongwe, Malawi, Africa. The mission of the project is to identify innovative, culturally acceptable, and relatively inexpensive methods of reducing the risk of HIV and STD transmission through research; strengthen the local research capacity through training and technology transfers; and to improve patient care for people living with HIV and AIDS.

In February 2005, Antek was contacted by the UNC Project regarding their requirements for a Laboratory Information System (LIS) to support their laboratory in Malawi. Over the next few months, Antek discussed numerous possibilities and resultant scenarios with managers from the UNC Project and was able to design a custom system that would effectively meet their needs.

“There were several factors that were important in choosing an LIS for our facility. I reviewed about 12 different LIS systems, and there was no comparison that LabDAQ was the best match for our facility. It was the only system that met all of our criteria,” states Mr. Robert Krysiak, the key point of contact for the UNC Project. The system also offers unique support features such as the ability to identify special populations, which supports the lab’s research.

“We are delighted to be able to provide a customized solution that continues to facilitate the University of North Carolina Project toward achieving their goal of improving patient care for people living with HIV and AIDS through their ongoing research efforts in Malawi, Africa” said Paul Taylor, Antek HealthWare’s Director of Sales & Marketing.

In December 2005, two of Antek’s application engineers performed the installation at the laboratory facility in Malawi. “One of the great features of LabDAQ that works for our site is that the engineers for Antek in the USA are able to help us tailor the LIS in Malawi to our needs through remote access as we integrate the system,” Mr. Krysiak helps to reinforce the success of this installation.

Antek HealthWare, LLC ( www.antekhealthware.com ) headquartered outside Baltimore, MD, is dedicated to the development of advanced software products designed to facilitate the practice of medicine. Antek’s LabDAQ LIS ( www.antekhealthware.com/labdaq.php ) software is the most widely installed laboratory information system in the country represented by over 1,800 systems used by over 35,000 physicians daily.