REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Hello again everyone,
This time I have a question,
How many of you guys use or would consider using REM in house lab machines if they had 2 way communication with OpenVPMS?
To be more specific, this development would allow us to generate an in house investigation and have the patient details appear in a queue on the machine. Once the tests were run, a copy of them would be automatically attached to the investigation in the patient record. They are using a small computer that sits in between the machines and OpenVPMS they have called a Fuse. They are selling the Fuse for more then four figures.
This development would allow OpenVPMS to talk this Fuse machine.
I'll start out by saying Boronia Vet Clinic want this and we are going to pay to have the code developed for us all. So no spruiking for dollars. But what we are interested in is how many users this will help and who would look at this option for their clinic.
I am not going to link REM in the forums. It's just too close to promotion for mine. Feel free to google their machines though. We use them becuase of their cost of consumables.
Thanks everyone
Matt
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
We use one of their machines at the moment and are thinking of getting more. It is a bit of a chore to get the data off. I have some of it scripted but not all. So this idea is a definite plus. Especially since there would be no more batching of data downloads.
This would use the ASTM protocol?
Simon Slater
Registered Linux User #463789 @ http://linuxcounter.net
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Hey Simon,
Not sure as to the exact protocols the system uses.
The Fuse box sits on the network and what ever test devices you have sit on the network too.
The devices are configured to talk to the Fuse box via Restful requests.
We have a Fuse box in the clinic now and our current methodology is;
a) Patient Entry
Navigate to Fuse using web browser and start a new test with a new patient details.
b) Results transfer
After test is complete, navigate back to Fuse webpage and download the results as pdf and attach manually. You could configure docloader to autoattach these docs to an investigation/act but at this stage we do it manually.
We had the window based software that spoke to the machines through serial-usb connections but it was just too flaky. It sounds like the above methodology may not contribute much for you but the proposed two-way communication would.
Cheers,
Matt C
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Hey Tim (Anderson),
Is adding two-way communication to the Investigations something that could be feasibly scheduled for Version 2.0?
Cheers,
Matt Costa
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
I shouldn't think so. At this stage, the last scheduled feature is Patient Insurance, which is currently likely to push the final 2.0 release out to early next year.
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Tim,
Attached is a file on how 1 of the the REM Systems machines, the VS2 biochem analyser, uses the ASTM protocol. I had an extract of the manual for the comms chapter, but it wouldn't attach.
Basically there are 4 choices: None; ASCII text; ASTM; XML. The text and XML are over serial (USB) or use ASTM over the network.
For the serial comms, you need to connect with minicom or similar. Just like the old days of accessing remote data-loggers over a 9600 baud connection. Interfacing with the network would be much smoother, but one look at the specs and I realized it was out of my league.
Simon Slater
Registered Linux User #463789 @ http://linuxcounter.net
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
We would be looking to provide a laboratory order API that allows different vendors to plug in their own implementations.
This is the approach we are using for the insurance project, as it allows us to interface with vendors that don't provide a public API.
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Sounds like you guys have been busy!
Let me know how new projects are created now and how funding allocated. We are keen on this, suffice to say :-)
Ta
Matt
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Hey Simon,
Did you find the Serial communication a massive pain to deal with? I did!!!
The existing API for the communication between the new Fuse box and OpenVPMS uses RESTful requests over network connections.
OpenVPMS has the API documentation from REM systems so hopefully the final solution should be quite functional.
Cheers,
Matt
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Matt,
The hardest part was finding the VS2 as a USB device since it was not auto recognized. As for the rest of the process, I spent many years with data-loggers, so it was a bit like riding a bike - it took a while to get the hang of it again, but I don't mind that sort of thing.
Then a script using sed to strip headers, awk to split the date and change the month format, extract the requisition ID and put it all together as separate files with date and ID as the filename, so OP finds them.
Simon Slater
Registered Linux User #463789 @ http://linuxcounter.net
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
I didn't see this thread but generated my own. We have a VS2 machine and would really like 2 way communication with the Machine. We have the Fuse already installed.
Matt O'Donnell
Matt O'Donnell
Northern Illawarra Veterinary Hospital
332 Princes Hwy
Bulli NSW 2516
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Hi,
I'm not sure if any more progress has been made with this. We currently have a Vetscan but have held off on the Fuse as it does not integrate with Open. It sounds like from the above thread that it would be possible for the results to be uploaded into the patient record as Idexx results are. Has a project been generated or costed ?
I would assume that if the community came up with a proportion of the cost that REM would fund the remainder. I would think it would be mutually beneficial selling point for Open and for REM. We would be happy to contribute $500 (depending on the final costing) to this as it would be a significant time saver for us.
Stephen Reis
West Pennant Hills Vet
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Hey guys,
We have come up with a patch solution to get the results into OpenVPMS using scripts but would also love an official solution using Investigations.
I beleive it uses HL7 protocol which is cool.
We would be very willing to add in some funding to get it over the line.
Cheers,
Matt Costa
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
I will look to putting together a project next week.
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
I've created a Laboratory API project to support integration of laboratory services into OpenVPMS.
Once implemented, 3rd parties will be able to provide plugins for OpenVPMS to integrate their laboratory equipment.
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Great. Thanks Tim. We have contributed $500 to this project. Hopefully it can get enough funding to make it into the next Open release.
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Thanks for getting the ball rolling Stephen!
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Hi guys,
Congrats on Version 2 by the way.
Tim, what would be required for say REM/Abaxis (in this case) to develop a plugin to interact with the OpenVPMS API. Are there equivalent API specifications for OpenVPMS already that REM/Abaxis could look at to gauge the feasibility of such a plugin?
I guess we ask becuase we would be willing to fund the remainder provided we can get provide enough information for Abaxis to give us an assurance that the next step would occur.
Cheers,
Matt C
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
We are currently exploring ways of funding and implementing an Abaxis plugin.
The OpenVPMS side also needs to be finalised and funded. At the moment, results are being added to the patient history as an Investigation, which restricts them to being a document or image.
It would be nice to be able to provide a record per result. This would allow them to be displayed in the patient history, as well as printed.
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
That's great Tim.
Boronia pledges to fund the remainder of this project ($6100).
Cheers,
Matt
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Hi,
We're considering swapping our bloods machines to Abaxis and have been told currently we need their FUSE machine to enable 2 way talk with Open. I get a bit lost with the IT/progamming lingo but am I right assuming that what is being discussed/created above would allow 2 way talk between Open and Abaxis machines without a FUSE?
Thanks,
Trev
Dr. Trevor Pavey
Principal
Lakeside Vet Centre
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
The proposed integration with Abaxis would be using their VetScan FUSE API which requires the VetScan FUSE hardware.
This can be used bi-directionally with the VetScan VS2 and VetScan HM5, and unidirectionally with the VSpro.
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
We're now using the VS2 and HM5c machines. What's happening with integration of results at the moment? I'm at the point of ordering a FUSE but wanted to check its capacity before ordering.
Trev
Dr. Trevor Pavey
Principal
Lakeside Vet Centre
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Integration with Fuse is expected in the OpenVPMS 2.2 release.
-Tim
REM/Abaxis lab machines - 2 way communication (stymied)
Hi everyone,
It is with some dissapointment that I make this post. For the clinics looking forward to this feature in 2.2, I'm afraid it isn't going to happen.
A bit of background, the OpenVPMS side of the works is all done and thanks to those clinics who funded it and to Tim and Tony for developing it.
There has been a delay at the other end of the process though. Abaxis (now Zoetis) has officially said that they don't have the funds in this financial cycle to complete the integration at their end. Our understanding from our Abaxis rep in Victoria, is that the required work on the Fuse box would cost about 17-18K. There is no scheduled committment to have this work done.
It's fair to say Boronia vets are really dissapointed. When we consider the financial committment the user community has made as a proportion of their annual revenue, the 18K sum seems a relatively small committment for Zoetis.
For those clinics affected, it is worth reminding our reps that the contributions of their competitors in the in-house lab market, have helped in creating the Investigation workspace that have benefited ALL users. This is the OpenVPMS ethos.
Apologies again,
Matt Costa
Re: REM/Abaxis lab machines - 2 way communication (stymied)
that is frustrating and disappointing. I'll pass that sentiment on to Zoetis when they come knocking to try to sell us those machines.
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
That is very annoying ... we are still waiting on a working Zoetis ordering system integrated into Open
So ...they do need to pick up their game.
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Hi All,
I just wanted to point out that we have progressed further with Zoetis on two way communication then we have done in the last 4 years through other commercial channels.
I know we have yet to get this interface built, which I understand is frustrating, but I sincerely believe Zoetis is committed to completing the project but just need time to work through their internal approval process before development can start.
Please feel free to contact me if you wish to chat about this.
Cheers
Tony
Re: REM lab machines - 2 way communication
Hi All,
Just an update on this. I have continued to be in contact with Zoetis about this project and although they are yet to commit any funds they indicate they will review in December when their budgets apparently renew. Lets hope we hear something positive ?
If not I think the only other solution maybe to get all the current OpenVPMS Abaxis users to chip in to get the two-way interface built or alternatively start looking at other lab equipment providers who will support building an interface :-)
Cheers
Tony