title: IT capabilities for the realization of the laboratory without walls.
abstract: This article presents the factors that are driving the restructuring of laboratory services and the information technology capabilities that are necessary to support the regionalized laboratory services organization. The overall need is for a trans-entity laboratory information system with point of care ordering and results reporting and enterprise-wide specimen transportation and tracking, that is interfaced with other information resources required for clinical decision-making, and patient care, operational, and financial management.
authors.affiliation: Chi Laboratory Systems, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Covvey
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D002984:Clinical Laboratory Information Systems / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000639:trends*; D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D005544:Forecasting; D018511:Systems Integration; D014481:United States