Pathlore Software Underpins Training at ARUP Laboratories

“When inspectors came to see if we had met our training requirements, we always had the records on hand,” said James Christensen, director of ARUP’s Institute for Learning. “But gathering training records for inspections was sometimes a cumbersome process because there was never a standardized or streamlined way of serving up the data.”

ARUP, which was named one of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” in 2003, wanted a single method for not only delivering education to the company but also accounting for what workers learned. Much of the lab’s training is done one-on-one, which supervisors must document and store. ARUP offers its clients more than 2,000 tests and test combinations, and lab employees must regularly demonstrate competency in the tests they perform. For example, employees have to show that they know how to operate a centrifuge, use a pipette or manage certain instruments properly. Training also focuses on topics such as information technology, workplace safety and customer service.

“We’re required to document the training and certification of our laboratory staff,” adds Christensen. “And we felt it best to look outside the company for a learning-management system that could meet our needs.”

So ARUP reviewed proposals from a number of LMS vendors, and settled on Pathlore. Christensen believes Pathlore’s medical industry experience helped the Ohio firm nudge out its competitors. “A real selling point for us was that the Pathlore LMS is easy for us to configure,” Christensen said. “But at the end of the day, we realized Pathlore spoke our language; they have many clients like us.”

More than 100 hospitals and health care organizations have purchased Pathlore’s LMS. And many of these organizations, like Wisconsin-based Gundersen Lutheran Healthcare Network and St. Louis, Mo., SSM Health Care, have bought Pathlore’s wares to take advantage of the learning-management system’s analytical features. The LMS, for example, quickly generates and parses detailed reports showing employees have (or have not) met training mandated by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

“Our experience gives us an edge among health care customers,” said Steve Thomas, president and chief executive officer of Pathlore. “But we offer more than experience; our financial stability gives people the assurance that we’ll be here for many years to support the software that we sell.”

“One of the factors that really separates Pathlore from the LMS pack is its financial picture,” said Debbie McGrath, chief executive officer of HR.com, a Canada-based analyst firm. “Pathlore is one of only a handful of LMS vendors who have achieved profitability.”

About Pathlore
Founded in 1995, Columbus, Ohio-headquartered Pathlore develops software that manages, tracks and reports on corporate training. Customers use Pathlore’s products to increase sales, comply with government regulations and adhere to quality initiatives. The privately held company’s client roster includes Delta Air Lines, NEC America Inc., Novartis, PNC Bank, Southwest Airlines, more than 100 hospitals and health care providers, and government agencies in more than 30 states including California, Ohio and Texas. Pathlore also has offices in Australia, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit http://www.pathlore.com

Pathlore is a registered trademark of Pathlore Software Corporation. All other registered and unregistered trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.