Systems and methods for tracking and providing workflow information
A tangible computer-readable storage device storing computer-executable program instructions that generate a user interface for displaying workflow information associated with a tissue specimen in a pathology laboratory. The program instructions may perform a method including displaying a virtual laboratory component representing a physical pathology laboratory having one or more laboratory stations for processing the tissue specimen according to a workflow, and displaying a specimen indicator that indicates a current specimen state based on a current relationship of the tissue specimen to the workflow. The method may further include enabling a first active component associated with the virtual laboratory component, wherein the first active component is configured to receive a user selection of a laboratory station and generating a supplemental view component of the selected laboratory station in response to the user selection, wherein the supplemental view provides supplemental information on processing by the selected laboratory station of the tissue specimen.
1. A system for controlling physical laboratory stations, the system comprising:
a workflow server configured to communicate with a physical laboratory station located within a physical laboratory to receive data related to the physical laboratory station; and
an interface component remotely located from the physical laboratory station and configured to:
display a virtual laboratory that is a graphical representation of the physical laboratory, the virtual laboratory includes a virtual laboratory station and a position of the virtual laboratory station within the virtual laboratory corresponds to a location of a physical laboratory station within the physical laboratory;
display a supplemental view of the virtual laboratory station that provides supplemental information on processing of a tissue specimen at the corresponding physical laboratory station;
generate a specimen indicator to overlap the virtual laboratory station within the virtual laboratory, the specimen indicator is to change based on a qualified current specimen state of the tissue specimen during processing at the physical laboratory;
monitor the physical laboratory station; and
in response to detecting a warning event at the physical laboratory station, enable remote control of a laboratory device at the physical laboratory station to remedy the warning event.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein interface component is configured to display a supplemental view of the virtual laboratory station upon receiving a user selection of the virtual laboratory station within the virtual laboratory.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein interface component is configured to display a supplemental view of warning data corresponding to the warning event in response to detecting the warning event.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the physical laboratory device is a stainer.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the physical laboratory device is a cassette printer.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the physical laboratory device is a refrigerator.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interface component is further configured to animate the specimen indicator to demonstrate a history of the processing of the tissue specimen.
8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a database in communication with the workflow server and configured to store the data related to the physical laboratory station.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental information includes at least one of an average labor time, an average machine time, a success rate, a cost, laboratory device service information, laboratory device status information, physical laboratory economic data, lean workflow data, and potential improvement data.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the workflow server is configured to communicate with the physical laboratory station through a network.
11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a remote access server configured to provide specimen data of the tissue specimen to a location remote from the physical laboratory.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the specimen data includes at least one of a specimen status and a specimen image.
13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interface component is configured to display a visual indication of a workflow through the physical laboratory.
14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the visual indication includes at least one of a zoom-in effect, a zoom-out effect, a popup dialog, a drilldown effect, a text cue, an arrow, or a motion effect.
15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the interface component is further configured to enable modification of the workflow to generate modified information that includes at least one of an estimated labor time, an estimated machine time, an estimated success rate, and an estimated cost.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the interface component is further configured to compare the supplemental information with the modified information.
17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the interface component is configured to:
model the workflow in a virtual laboratory diagram as a first result;
receive information related to a proposed workflow associated with the physical laboratory;
model a proposed workflow in the virtual laboratory diagram based on the information related to the proposed workflow as a second result;
compare the first result and the second result; and
provide a summary based on the comparison.
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental information corresponds to at least one of laboratory device service information, laboratory device status, physical laboratory economic data, lean workflow data, and potential improvement data.
19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental information includes at least one of an average labor time, an average machine time, a success rate, and a cost.
20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the supplemental information includes an economic summary related to the physical laboratory.