Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for tracking information associated with a plurality of test cards. Each of the test cards is anonymously associated with a patient such that the patient's identity is unknown to a central monitoring system. A first set of unique personal identification numbers (PINs) is stored in a PIN database in the central monitoring system, and a first digital signal representing PINs from the first set of unique PINs is provided to a test kit assembler. A second digital signal, representing test kits actually assembled, is received from the test kit assembler in the central monitoring system. Each of the test kits actually assembled includes a test card having one of the unique PINs from the first set of unique PINs associated therewith. The first set of unique PINs is tracked by updating the PIN database in response to the second digital signal. A third digital signal, representing a second set of unique PINs, is provided from the central monitoring system to a test lab in response to the second digital signal. A fourth digital signal, representing test cards received at the test lab from patients, is received from the test lab in the central monitoring system. The test cards are known to the central monitoring system only by the first set of unique PINs. The first set of unique PINs is further tracked from the central monitoring system by updating the PIN database and a test results database in response to the fourth digital signal.