A workflow management system for the biological samples exchange within the amyloidosis network

To allow a better coordination of the Italian amyloidosis network, and also to provide useful information for patients, some years ago a web portal (www.amiloidosi.it) was developed. One of its sections is devoted to the exchange of biological samples between peripheral institutions and the referral center. However, the section is purely descriptive, and does not support data collection and retrieval, or the possible problems that may occur along with the sample exchange process. The current workflow technology seems to offer a convenient solution to build a cooperative system for this kind of process and this article presents the design of a web-based workflow management system for the biological sample exchange. The final aim is to integrate the system within the portal.