eMaRC Plus is a file mapping tool that is used to view and work with pathology lab files in HL7 or pipe-delimited format. The application imports HL7 files manually or directly from PHIN MS queue, and tests the messages for existence of required data items. eMaRC Plus searches for cancer terms to mark potential cancer cases, and builds a pathology lab database in either MS Access, SQL Server, Oracle, or Sybase.
eMaRC Plus program reads HL7 version 2.3.1 ORU^01 message batch files, parses messages and stores HL7 data elements as discrete field values into tables in the PATHLAB database. In a typical setting, the PHIN Messaging System (PHINMS) is used to send HL7 batch files from a laboratory to a cancer registry or some other agency working in cancer registry’s behalf. eMaRC Plus program sits at a workstation at a cancer registry and polls the worker queue of the PHINMS receiver for any new incoming files. When a new file arrives in the queue the application picks it, and processes it, then goes back in the waiting mode for the arrival of a new file. eMaRC Plus can also be used in an interactive mode where the user can manually select a file to import into the PATHLAB database.
During import, the program searches a terms table to find potential report of cancer; an inbuilt negation terms finder algorithm (NegEx) enhances the program’s text mining capabilities in terms of specificity. The program shows imported pathology reports in the user readable format with cancer terms highlighted in red and negated terms highlighted in blue. Both the terms table and the negation phrases table are customizable.
eMaRC Plus also creates partial abstracts from HL7 messages during import, translating various coded values from the HL7 coding standard to the NAACCR standards. It provides a function to view both pathology reports data items from HL7 message and abstracts data items side by side on the same screen and allows the user to look at the text of path reports and code data items, like primary site, histology, etc. in partial abstracts. The new auto-code histology feature assists the user by suggesting pertinent histology codes by analyzing the text of the report while the user is coding abstracts.
The table below lists specifications for the client PC on which eMaRC Plus is installed. If you use databases other than Microsoft Access you will need a server computer to host the database. This database can be put on the same server that hosts CRS Plus, Prep Plus and Web Plus databases.
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