@Override
    public boolean duplicatePanelExists(Panel panel) throws LIMSRuntimeException {
        try {

            List<Panel> list = new ArrayList<>();

            // not case sensitive hemolysis and Hemolysis are considered
            // duplicates
            String sql = "from Panel t where trim(lower(t.panelName)) = :param and t.id != :panelId";
            Query<Panel> query = entityManager.unwrap(Session.class).createQuery(sql, Panel.class);
            query.setParameter("param", panel.getPanelName().toLowerCase().trim());

            // initialize with 0 (for new records where no id has been generated
            // yet
            String panelId = "0";
            if (!StringUtil.isNullorNill(panel.getId())) {
                panelId = panel.getId();
            }
            query.setParameter("panelId", Integer.parseInt(panelId));

            list = query.list();

            if (list.size() > 0) {
                return true;
            } else {
                return false;
            }

        } catch (RuntimeException e) {
            LogEvent.logError(e);
            throw new LIMSRuntimeException("Error in duplicatePanelExists()", e);
        }
    }