An archival system for clinical laboratory data.

A magnetic tape-based archival system that provides for generation of computer-output microfiche has been developed. Data from magnetic tapes written on a turnkey laboratory system are used as the basis for generating the archival tapes. Programmed searches of the tapes allow retrieval directly by name or test(s). Accessing the computer-output microfiche allows retrieval by name and is being used to supplant a traditional file system.