caTrack: efficient, quality data capture for
caTissue.
Mahesh Nalkande, Sameer Pendharkar, Preeti Lodha, Abhijeet Kashnia , Taru Jain,
Rachita Yadav, Sarita Tony, Fernanda Rankin, Amber McMahon, Dr. Susanne Ragg,
Dr. Gunther Schadow
Regenstrief Institute
PERSISTENT
Agenda
• Sample use cases involving data entry• Problem Definition• Solution• caTrack workflows• caTrack Demo• Technical insight• Future enhancements
Problem Definition
Problems or anticipated problems with these workflows:
1. Much clicking and typing involved.
2. Keeping event time is inexact, scribble on paper.
3. Risk of data entry errors.
4. Average time spent per operation is 2-3 minutes.
How does caTrack solve these problems?
• caTrack - barcode based PDA application• Automatic Data Capture (ADC) • Log collection and processing steps as you go • Off-line operation, independent of WiFi Network• When done, populates with caTissue repository • Minimizes data entry efforts• Keeps accurate time of all events• Enables specimen quality tracking
How does caTrack fit in tissue banking system?
Lab Technician
caTrack
caTissue Application
BioSpecimen Database
caTrack Business
Logic
PDA with Scanner
Web Service
A complete workflow…
Sticks SCG label to the Specimen
Collection FormSticks specimen label to a blank specimen vial
Lab Technician
Collection Kit -> Specimen Collection form + Labeled vial + second SCG label
to be pasted on the Consent form + second identical specimen label
Clinical Research Coordinator
Sticks the second SCG label on the
Consent Form
Surgeon
Takes the Collection Kit
Collects specimen into the vial
Fills in details on the Specimen Collection
Form
Puts the vial inside a mini-cooler
Logs in to caTrack application, by scanning his user badge or tapping on ‘UserContext’
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caTrack usecases
Current scope of caTrack:
Set the collected and received events of a specimen on first scan.
Assign a storage location to specimens.
Transfer specimens or containers within containers.
Add frozen, centrifuge events on specimens.
caTrack workflow
Initialization Login : Scan User Batch
Scan centrifuge Scan Specimens
Scan container Scan Specimens/containers
Initial Application Screen
• The caTrack application has been started.
• The initial screen is blank.• The connectivity icon tells
whether it is connected to server or not.
Scanning the Specimen vial
• Scan the barcode on the specimen vial, which is received by the Biobank.
Map View
• By default highest empty location within container is assigned.
• Map view to change the location of specimen vial within the storage container.
Finite State Machine (FSM)• caTrack design is based on a FSM• State machine encodes the workflows
– configurable through xml file
• Example for simple workflow:
User
Box
Initial
User/ scUser
Reset / Reset
Box/scBox
User/User
Reset
Reset/Reset
Vial/Error
Unknown/erEvent
Box / scBox
Vial / maBox:vialUnknown / erEvent
How caTrack works?
Read configuration items, finite state machine and
storage container information from XML file.
Read configuration items, finite state machine and
storage container information from XML file.
Accept input from barcode scanner.Accept input from barcode scanner.
Check for next state and action to be taken
using finite state machine.
Check for next state and action to be taken
using finite state machine.
Display message to user and change the
state
Display message to user and change the
state
Entry pointEntry point
Download Storage container informationDownload Storage
container informationUpload the storage
container informationUpload the storage
container information
caTrack Web Service
caTrack Web Service
caTissue Suite HTTP ServicecaTissue Suite HTTP Service
caTissue DatabasecaTissue Database
caTrack PDA Application
Future Enhancements• Check if specimen is placed in correct box
– obey restrictions on container• Better display of specimen label on PDA screen• On scan of patient label, query hospital system
for participant information• Add additional specimen events, e.g. Review• Retrieval, shipping and tracking
– Loading a shipping container is supported today– Display “shopping list” for efficient retrieval
• Support multiple PDA within same site• Site-specific configuration in multi-site setting
Deployment Requirements• caTrack is freely available under LGPL license• Software requirements
– caTissue– ActiveSync– .NET Compact Framework
• Hardware Requirements– PDA with Windows Mobile 5.0– Barcode scanner
Conclusion
caTrack adds to efficient high-throughput biospecimen banking by
– Eliminating time consuming data entry steps
– Capturing accurate specimen quality detail
– Decreasing the error rate
Acknowledgements
• Dr. Gunther Schadow• Dr. Susanne Ragg • Sarita Tony• Fernanda Rankin• Amber McMahon• Sharmila Jothirajah
Persistent Systems Ltd• Preeti Lodha• Sameer Pendharkar• Abhijeet Kashnia• Taru Jain• Rachita Yadav• Madhurima B.• Abhijit Naik• Sarfraz Shaikh• Sonal Shah• Komal Gulati
Indiana University