Automated lean methods in anatomical pathology

Abstract

An embodiment of the method of the invention is a method of automating information flow in a laboratory performing tissue staining comprising positioning a networked label printer adjacent to a cutting station, the printer configured to access patient data directly or indirectly from the hospital LIS, the printer being configured with a data element scanner in electronic communication with said printer; inputting data from a tissue cassette-associated data element at said printer, whereby inputting data comprises reading the data from the cassette-associated data element and uploading the cassette data to the LIS; identifying the corresponding test protocol identifier and then downloading the test protocol data to the printer; printing information on labels corresponding to each test specified in the LIS for the patient; attaching a single label to each slide; and cutting a tissue section for each labeled slide and mounting the section on the slide.

1 . A method of automating information associated with tissue samples to be stained in a tissue staining laboratory comprising the steps of: 
 a. positioning a networked label printer adjacent to a cutting station, said printer configured to access patient data directly or indirectly from the hospital LIS, said printer being configured with a data element scanner in electronic communication with said printer;    b. reading cassette data from the cassette-associated data element and uploading said cassette data to the LIS;    c. identifying the corresponding test protocol identifier and then downloading said test protocol data to said printer;    d. printing information on labels corresponding to each test specified by the LIS for said patient;    e. attaching a single label to each slide; and    f. cutting and mounting at least one tissue section on each labeled slide.    
   
   
       2 . A method of coordinating tissue sample information in a laboratory staining process, comprising the steps of: 
 a. identifying a tissue cassette comprising a tissue sample to be tested to a LIS-networked machine-vision system;    b. transferring machine-readable identifying information associated with said tissue sample to said LIS;    c. accessing test instructions for said tissue sample via the LIS, the test instructions determining the sections to be cut and the protocols to be performed on the respective sections;    d. instructing a label printer to print the required number of labels encoding the protocols to be performed on the corresponding tissue sections;    e. printing a slide label encoding each protocol to be performed on the corresponding tissue section;    f. attaching said slide label to a slide;    g. placing at least one tissue section on the labeled slide; and    h. staining the tissue section(s) on the slide in accordance with the protocol identified on the corresponding slide label.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said printer is networked to the LIS using the HL-7 protocol.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said patient data includes a case number uniquely associated with a patient.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said patient data includes the test protocol identifiers corresponding to the tests ordered for that specific patient.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said data element comprises a barcode.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said data element comprises an RFID.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said data element scanner comprises a barcode reader.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said data element scanner comprises a RFID reader.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 5  wherein said protocol identifier comprises an identification number that uniquely identifies the test protocol to be performed on that slide.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said label information comprises machine readable information.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said machine readable information comprises a bar code.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said machine readable information comprises a RFID.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said label information comprises both human- and machine-readable information.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein reading cassette data comprises scanning the tissue cassette-associated data element using a scanner.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said printer is networked to the LIS using the HL-7 protocol.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said machine-readable identifying information includes a case number uniquely associated with the patient.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said test instructions comprise the test protocol identifiers corresponding to the tests ordered for that specific patient.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said machine-readable identifying information comprises a barcode.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said machine-readable identifying information comprises an RFID.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said machine-readable identifying information comprises both human- and machine-readable information.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 2  wherein inputting data comprises scanning the machine-readable identifying information associated with said tissue sample using a scanner.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 prior to said printing, performing load leveling to distribute said tissue samples for cutting.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said load leveling is performed to distribute said tissue samples to a plurality of cutting stations in accordance with at least one of: work load of each of said plurality of cutting stations and cutting expertise.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 performing load leveling to distribute said tissue samples for cutting, wherein said step of performing load leveling is performed after downloading said test protocol data to said printer.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 performing load leveling to distribute said tissue samples for cutting, wherein said step of performing load leveling is performed prior to downloading said test protocol data to said printer.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein an order in which said printing is performed for a plurality of samples indicates the order in which each of said plurality of samples are cut.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 prior to said printing, performing load leveling to distribute tissue samples for cutting.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 performing load leveling to distribute tissue samples for cutting, wherein said step of performing load leveling is performed after sending instructions to the label printer to print.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 2 , performing load leveling to distribute tissue samples for cutting, wherein said step of performing load leveling is performed prior to sending instructions to the label printer to print.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein said load leveling is performed to distribute said tissue samples to a plurality of cutting stations in accordance with at least one of: work load of each of said plurality of cutting stations and cutting expertise.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein an order in which said printing is performed for a plurality of samples indicates the order in which each of said plurality of samples are cut.