Development of an educational research software with advisory role in the interpretation of calcium and phosphorus laboratory tests in human serum and/or urine

Abstract

Clarifying the exact etiology of pathological levels for calcium and/or phosphorus in human blood and/or urine is not always an easy task. Hyper/hypocalcemia/calciuria and hyper/hypo-phosphatemia/phosphaturia sometimes could complicate a differential diagnostic procedure. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to develop a free, simple stand alone educational research software (ERS) to aid the education of clinicians and healthcare laboratorians (or undergraduate students) in interpreting calcium and phosphorus laboratory tests in human serum and/or urine (for adult patients). Μaterials and methods: The software was designed using: a) Microsoft Windows as operating system, b) the Adobe Flex software development kit (SDK), and c) ΜΧML as programming language. The (ERS) is compatible with Linux. It can be distributed on Compaq Disk (CD) and be run on any Personal Computer (PC) on Windows. Results and discussion: The developed (ERS) -which we have called DCPS v.1.0- does not require wide knowledge and expertise in computers. Its educational benefits include interactive format, self-paced learning, feedback, understanding of the basic clinicobiochemical processes that underlie several pathological states, and usability outside timetabled course. Conclusions: The free (ERS) could be a useful teaching tool in clinical laboratory education. Future work should focus on further evaluation of its accuracy, its usefulness on the teaching process and its acceptance by the healthcare students or professionals