Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 5.5-9 Detailed census and budget report.
technology (in this case, Dynamic Data Exchange
(DDE)) to transfer data to commonly used software
applications such as Microsoft Access or Microsoft
Excel. It is interesting to note that in this example, the
virtual instrument can measure and graph multiple sig-
nals while sending these data to another application that
could reside on the network or across the Internet.
In addition to utilizing DDE, VI can use other pro-
tocols for inter-application communication. These range
from simple serial communication to TCP/IP and
ActiveX.
Figure 5.5-14
illustrates the Communications Center.
This application shows various methods by which the
user can communicate information throughout an orga-
nization. The Communications Center can be used to
simply create and print a report, or it can be used to send
e-mail, faxes, or messages to a pager, or even to leave
voicemail messages. This is a powerful feature in that
information can be distributed easily and efficiently to
individuals and groups in real time.
Additionally, Microsoft Agent technology can be used
to pop up an animated help tool (''Merlin the Wizard'').
Merlin then can be used to communicate a message or to
indicate an alarm condition, or it can be used to help the
user to solve a problem or to point out a discrepancy that
otherwise might have gone unnoticed. Agents employ a
''text-to-speech'' algorithm to actually ''speak'' an analysis
or alarm directly to the user or the recipient of the
message. In this way, on-line help and user support can be
provided in multiple languages.
In addition to real-time profiling of various parame-
ters, more advanced analyses, such as SPC can be
employed to view large data sets in a graphical format.
SPChas enormous applications throughout health care.
Such perceived applications were significant drivers to
embed SPC tools into PIVIT's suite of virtual instruments.
For example,
Figure 5.5-15
is an example of a way inwhich
Pareto analysis can be applied to a sample trauma database
of over 12,000 records. The Pareto chart could show fre-
quency or percentage, depending on front-panel selection,
and the user can select from a variety of different param-
eters by clicking on the ''pull-down'' menu. This menu can
be configured to automatically display each database field
directly from the database. In this example, various data-
base fields (e.g., DRG, Principal Diagnosis, Town, and
Payer), can be selected for Pareto analysis. Other tools
include run charts, control charts, and process capability
distributions (see, e.g. Figure 5.5-16).
