Abstract: An apparatus and system is disclosed for an improved patient information management system in a medical setting. The present invention relates to a remote patient information system comprising workstations, handheld computers, and wireless portable printers or portable-computing and labeling systems that facilitate the fulfillment of orders for patient specimen collection performed manually in hospital environments by providing advanced label printing capability, by providing capability to chose a printer in order to print data sent wirelessly by a handheld device, by highlighting orders on the handheld device for which a response is past due, by alerting the user of the handheld device that an order requiring a timed test is overdue, by displaying a warning on the handheld device to ensure the user is processing the proper patient when the user is processing multiple patients, and by providing capability to configure which patient information parameters will be updated by data from other systems.

Abstract: A handheld or portable computing device is provided and capable of providing efficient maintenance of information maintained or stored within a healthcare information system such as an LIS (laboratory information system). Periodically updating information with the server allows the user to perform many specimen collection related tasks efficiently. The handheld device and related system provide improved monitoring of diagnostic sample collection errors and further provides efficient network management of accessing and updating the information on a server through communications with the network such as ping synchronization communications and use of a valid data timer element.