We use a BCO interface between an Abbott AxSym and our lab system.  We have
the same problem any result >999999 will not transfer from the AxSym.  We
have identified the problem as our BCO interface.  This has been confirmed
by BCO, the current interface software will not accept the data and
truncates the result to six figures.

Mike Guillain
Clinical Biochemist
Wansbeck General Hospital
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust
Ashington
Northumberland
voice : +44(0)1670529713
fax     : +44(0)1670529719
email  : [log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Simpson Elliott" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 11:49 AM
Subject: Can your LDS handle very large numbers?


>
> When we added beta hCG to the repertoire of our ELECSYS some time back, we
> noted that values with more than 5 digits were not transferred correctly
> from the analyser to our Berkeley MasterLab system.  Our standard
operating
> procedure therefore was that six digit results be entered manually.
>
> Recently we had a specimen, assayed late in the afternoon,   which gave an
> hCG "greater than 10,000"    The following day the specimen was re-assayed
> on dilution and a value of greater than 100,000 was obtained.  It was
> rediluted and a final value of 180 056 was obtained.
>
> On this occasion, the result was transferred through the LDS interface
which
> removed the final digit and a result of 18 005 was reported electronically
> to Fountain (a file server system which may be interrogated by ward
staff).
> An hour later, the MLSO in charge of the section returned from lunch and
> found this had occurred and the correct result was entered.  Although no
> written report had left the department, the duty clinical scientist
> contacted a member of the medical staff in case the wrong result had been
> accessed from Fountain.  She was assured that this had not happened but
was
> told that an adverse clinical incident could have arisen if the wrong
result
> had been accessed and acted upon.
>
> When we first became aware of this problem, we contacted the distributors
of
> both the analyser and the main frame computer and both investigated the
> problem and stated it was not due to their equipment.   Realising the
> potential for a clinical incident, we have chased this up more thoroughly
on
> this occasion and have identified that the error arose within the LDS
> interface.  The engineer was called and it appears that there is a simple
> "fix" which allows the transfer of up to 9 digit values and this has been
> installed.  According to the hazard note issued by Berkeley as a result of
> this incident, "the potential for this size of result is normally checked
at
> installation time".  However, at the time we installed the ELECSYS, we
were
> not assaying beta hCG.  So, if you are using an LDS interface between your
> analyser (any analyser) and lab information system and have added beta hCG
> to your lists of assays (we can't think of any other assay which has such
a
> large number of digits), check your LDS can handle the results.
>
>
> Elliott Simpson
> Consultant Clinical Scientist
> Clinical Director, Labs & Pharmacy
>
>
>



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