University of Alabama at Birmingham Purchases MediSolution’s Laboratory Information System
MediSolution Ltd. today announced that the University of Alabama at Birmingham, (UAB), Center for AIDS Research has signed an agreement to purchase MediLab®, an automated laboratory information system that addresses the unique challenges of laboratory management in Lusaka, Zambia. The system will be deployed at the central clinical laboratory of the Center for Infection Diseases Research (CIDRZ) in Zambia. CIDRZ is a UAB-affiliated, Zambian-based NGO focused on the advancement of variety of research and treatment projects in areas such as pediatrics, public health, obstetrics and gynecology and AIDS.
With a modest budget of $200,000 and only 23 employees, UAB doctors and UAB trained Zambian clinicians established the CIDRZ in 2000. CIDRZ has worked closely with the Ministry of Health and Central Board of Health of the Lusaka District to develop programs in support of the district’s mission. In 2004, after devoted focus to collaborative capacity building in Lusaka, CIDRZ along with other programs in a consortium with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation was awarded additional grants to dispense free AIDS drugs in Zambia. This program is being funded under the Bush administration’s President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS relief (PEPFAR). Today, CIDRZ has an annual budget of $20 million and over 450 employees and operates one of the largest programs in the world to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and a rapidly expanding program of access to treatment for HIV.
“The selection of MediLab came after an extensive evaluation process. The laboratory in Zambia presented many challenges such as rapidly expanding services and capacity, the need to coordinate laboratory services for 16 and soon to be 24 clinics in the Lusaka district alone, the need to automate recording and dissemination of results and the need for a robust, expandable, user friendly and technically supported LIMS system,” said Dr Craig Wilson, director, International Core of UAB Center for Aids Research. “The technology and international experience of MediSolution made MediLab an obvious choice.”
The CIDRZ laboratory will deploy MediLab modules to automate numerous functions, from processing initial laboratory requests using positive patient identification to the production and communication of web enabled final test results. The MediLab system is anticipated to improve quality of care and patient safety as well as provide the team with easily accessible data for monitoring and evaluation of the ongoing programs.
“We are excited to be working with the UAB to bring the world class MediLab system to CIDRZ in Zambia, said Paul Lepage, executive vice president and chief operating officer. “By automating laboratory processes and improving the organization and workflow we are pleased to be able to assist CIDRZ with their important programmatic and research mandates to advance the treatment and fight against AIDS.”
About CIDRZ
The CIDRZ supported laboratory at the Kalingalinga clinic supports an HIV treatment program in and around the Lusaka District in Zambia and is in the process of expanding into remote districts. Additionally, there are ongoing and proposed research and treatment projects the CIDRZ laboratory intends to support. CIDRZ has been creating advanced wireless networking computer capabilities in the Lusaka area. Because of the growth the CIDRZ laboratory is now in a position to deploy a comprehensive laboratory information system to integrate existing systems and provide comprehensive clinical data.
About MediSolution
MediSolution is a leading healthcare and public sector information technology company, providing software, solutions and services to customers across North America. More than 500 hospitals and other healthcare facilities as well close to 200 public sector or government related organizations rely on MediSolution’s systems to maximize their operational efficiencies, lower their costs, and improve the delivery of services. MediSolution has two operating segments. The Resource Management Systems segment is comprised of Financial Management software such as accounts receivable, budgeting and materials management as well as Human Capital Management tools including human resource management, staff scheduling and payroll processing. The Healthcare Information Systems segment is comprised of clinical solutions such as patient tracking, electronic patient health records, pharmacy, radiology and laboratory software for hospitals. For more information, visit www.medisolution.com .
