Printing Performance Issue

Sep 8 2017 GEMSS Solution

Background
In real operating situation, printing at registration desk took too much time.
We assume not enough memory causes this performance issue and IT department increased
memory for some PCs having 1 GB to 2 GB.

The purpose of this test is identifying exact causes and checking whether increasing memory
works.

Testing method
By using five PCs at registration desk, we registered outpatient visit at the same time intensiv
ely with preview and print for around 400 records with measuring processor usage, memory
usage and printing time.

- 5 PCs were used at the same time with 2 GB memory

- 3 Laserjet printers were used for printing patient slip and registration slip

Testing result

Measure PC 1 PC 2 PC 3 PC 4 PC 5

Total number of registere 55 100 100 100 100

d patients

Number of measuring prin < 1%

ting time

Average processor usage 733 MB 842.3 MB 758.4 MB 860.2 MB 916.4 MB

Printing patient slip 21.45 22.4 13.3

Printing time for registrati 13.80 12.9 17.6 17.7 11.4

on slip

Analysis
1) Feature of laserjet
a) It takes some time before starting print as warming and spooling so users ma
y feel not fast responsiveness
b) Under warming, print time reduces by around 10 sec
c) When printing several different printout at the same time, there is only one ti
me warming and spooling time and very quick print
2) No increase and performance loss in intensive load
a) 5 people registered at the same time, there is no difference among trials
b) During more than 400 patients registration, there is no difference among trials
3) Preview took too much clinics and printing time
a) After registration, a user should click 6 times for printing two slips
b) Preview in browser took more than 6 sec additionally for each slip
 4) Silent printing can reduce huge portion of printing time as 1 of 3 times or lesser
a) After registration, silent print program automatically prints patient slip and re
gistration slip without any human interaction and printing 2 slips takes around
20 sec only.

Conclusion and Way to resolve

1) Memory and process are not related performance in current specification. 2 GB increa
sing may work
2) Too many clicks and this situation takes too much time. So we recommend to use sile
nt print function instead of preview mode based printing