Established in 1996, the Botswana-Harvard Partnership for HIV Research and Education is a collaborative research and training initiative. It is funded by the Botswana government and the Harvard Aids Institute. The reference laboratory conducts cutting-edge HIV and Aids research for Botswana and southern Africa.
Erik Widenfelt, director of data operations and IT for the Partnership, says: "To assist the laboratory`s data management centre in processing the data from its multiple clinical trials, the Partnership wanted to implement high-end scanning technology and an electronic document management solution."
AmVia business partner, Ethniks Systems, suggested that the Partnership combine RightFax electronic-document delivery solution with the automated electronic information capture and processing application, TELEform. Both TELEform and RightFax are distributed by AmVia in SA.
The Partnership recognised that such a solution would dramatically speed up the process of obtaining, capturing and processing information on Aids patients from outlying clinics for its clinical trials. These clinics are often located in remote areas with telephones but no wide area network (WAN) connections.
"RightFax proved highly effective in getting trial patients` information to the laboratory almost as soon as the patient has been examined by the clinic`s staff," says Widenfelt. "The faxed forms are automatically received by our RightFax server and routed to the TELEform server which `reads` the fax and electronically enters the information into an SQL database," he explains.
Widenfelt says that via TELEform, the Partnership can also specify specific patient information which should be faxed back to the clinic electronically and coupled with the RightFax solution, this has further simplified the laboratory`s processing and testing of specimens from the Partnership`s HIV research studies.
"For example, specific tests can be ordered via fax, and faxed confirmation received, on exactly which samples and specimens will arrive when. This has definitely eased the data management centre`s handling of large volumes of information. The solution has almost eliminated human intervention in entering information into its database."
Kevin Greig, sales and marketing director: Ethniks Systems, agrees. "Real-time, electronic capture of information via RightFax and TELEform ensures that the laboratory works with very accurate and timeous clinical data. The speed and ease-of-use of the solution also contributes to a much quicker turnaround time in which to process and act on incoming and outgoing research information.
"AmVia and Ethniks Systems are proud to have enabled the Botswana-Harvard Aids Institute Partnership to conduct its invaluable research more effectively," he concludes.
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