Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is a software-based solution that is used in labs for data management and to process a large number of lab samples to manage laboratory workflow. Evaluating and choosing the right LIMS must be done after analyzing some salient features like cost, interface, the ability of the system to evolve based on your future requirements, etc.

In this blog, we will help you evaluate the best and most cost-effective laboratory information system that will suit your requirements in the best way.

What to Choose Between Online and Offline Model of LIMS?

The offline model of LIMS software is an outdated one. Some disadvantages of using offline LIMS are:

Not user-friendly.
No mobile app facilities
Reports can be generated. But patients have to get the reports directly by visiting the premises.
The patient's record is not synchronized with multiple lab locations
In case of a server crash, there is no possibility of getting data back. Less data security.
Future technology updates are tough to install
Maintenance is high.

Offline LIMS has some defects. Due to its unavailability online 24/7, the data collected can be stored only in a desktop, increasing the chances of data loss. The offline LIMS is best suited for small laboratories with only one clinical lab.

Why is the Online Model of LIMS the Best Choice?

The online model of LIMS is based totally on the cloud. Hence the data can be viewed from anywhere in the world if they are updated on the cloud. Monitoring live instrument data with the right tools will allow your company to make faster decisions with accurate information and support the on-time delivery of reports.

A time-consuming, manual process will be transformed into a fast, automated process, where human errors in collecting and processing information will be reduced to zero, allowing the company to concentrate its resources on its core functions and attain higher productivity and efficiency in its work.

Some benefits of online LIMS are:

Low Maintenance cost.
Instrument data storage for auditing purposes.
An interface that works with any Database or LIMS.
Get future updates as notifications
Secure environment
Track updates with the mobile app

Choosing The Right LIMS For You

Choosing the right Laboratory Information system depends purely on the requirement of the lab and the processes involved in it. You have to know the exact way in which the user data has to be logged in and the ways of analysis. This way you can easily find the exact LIMs software that would suit your requirements the best. Some of the requirements of a laboratory include:

Functional requirements
IT requirements
Interface requirements
Data management requirements
Error handling

It is best advised to have business flow diagrams that will clarify the workflow, requirements, and processes in the lab. This business flow diagram will help in considering the instruments and systems involved in the lab that need to be interfaced with the software for harmonized workflow.

Understanding the Functionality Requirements

Understanding the requirements of your laboratory systems cannot be explained enough as the utmost important feature for choosing the right type of LIMS. A LIMS software used for the mining of oil and gas cannot be used completely for clinical purposes. Before investing in LIMS software from any vendor, it is vital to check that the software completely fulfills the needs of the laboratory. This includes the process of sample collection and data entry to the process of report generation and saving of reports. The functional requirements should be clearly listed and cross-checked regularly even after implementation in the system.

Some of the functional requirements that need to be checked in a LIMS are:

Laboratory Test Processing.
Test scheduling.
Sample Collection Methods
Sample Tracking.
Instrument control.
Report generation.
Quality control and Quality assurance.
Statistical analysis.
Resource management.
Laboratory Safety and Accident Prevention Techniques.

Once the use cases that include the kind of user type, sample logging method, and result publishing are quantified, your functional requirements will get a lot clearer paving you for the best suitable LIMS purchase.

LIMS Future Upgrades

Choosing LIMS after a thorough analysis of your current needs is the best way of making an apt choice. However, the future of laboratory management might evolve with the changing technologies and more convenient workflow. Keeping that in mind, choose software from a vendor that is best suited for both your current needs and all your future needs.

Seeking advice on the improvement of the system might be too late when the implementation of LIMS software has already taken place. Jot down your requirements clearly and analyze the same with your team of experts who can justify the need for improvement based on futuristic updates.

When businesses want to add more locations, tie up with B2Bs, add a home collection module, NABL policy changes, the LIMS software should be able to upgrade and adopt it.

This will ensure that your business is on speed with the technology involved and can easily benefit from it in terms of productivity and workflow management.

LIMS Mobile Applications

Using LIS is the best method for the automation of Laboratory technologies. This implies that the process of computing sample analyses must be done faster, and more efficiently and there is easy workflow management with mobile apps.

Types of LIMS mobile apps:

Home Collection App
Runner App
Laboratory Owner App
B2B App
Patient App

LIS helps pathologists approve data from anywhere in the most efficient system and can be extremely useful to labs and doctors alike. This saves a lot of time on the workflow. Automation of doctor approval in a mobile app can help LIS make more decisions quickly.

These were some basic points that might help you choose the best-suited LIS for your laboratory. Choose cost-effective software for your lab, but don’t miss on the quality or vendor credibility while choosing the right LIS for your laboratory.

24/7 Support System

When you choose LIMS software, make sure you are provided with 24/7 support facilities. When you face any issues with the LIMS software, you can contact the support professionals anytime and from anywhere and get the issues resolved quickly.

Data Security in LIMS

Security of data is the most basic need for any kind of industry; especially one involving the data and reports of patients. Implementation of a LIMS is specifically done to make the process easier and more secure, safeguarding the patient information from misuse. This has to be done while improving the knowledge level in the organization about the system by sharing the lab information accessible across various departments globally in the organization.

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Leveraging Diagnostic Lab Management Software for Business Growth

Increased efficiency is one of the crucial factors that every business people require. When there is a business running efficiently, it indicates a decrease in waste and an increase in profits, and this results in a healthy bottom line. There are different types of diagnostic lab management software tools that small business owners can use to enhance the efficiency of their operations.

Whether you are an accountant, who is looking for QuickBooks in the belief that it holds the right software to make a more significant difference for a better business outcome or an engineer who is in search of trying out the PCB design software, below are the 5 best ways in which the software will help the small business owners to take their business to the topper level.

Five ways to grow your business through Diagnostic software:

Here are some ways through which you can improve your small business with the diagnostic software.

Maintaining a healthy relationship with the customers:

The software solutions for small businesses enable you to manage a healthy relationship with the customers and also enhance your sales process dramatically in a better way. You can form prospects and customer databases and also acquire the right to update them in the right and real-time when you gather more information about every contact. The software business tools also help in providing the ability to send emails to the connection, so it's easy to keep up with the marketing. It also provides the capability to send emails to customers and prospects and also track how many times you keep in contact or communicate with your contacts or customers.

Creating invoices and quotes:

You will be able to create invoices and quotes and attach them to particular contacts or customers so that there is no chance for valuable documents to be missed. Apart from this, all details and orders are captured in real-time in case your invoices and quotes are integrated with the platform of your business. You can also stay aware of all the products and services your contacts or customers asked to purchase, which will help you to sell more and keep organized in the future leading to higher revenue.

Follow sales leads:

With the help of the right sales management software, you will be able to follow sales leads accurately and quickly, and you need to contact your prospects who have requested a quote before. If you are ready with sound strategies that can reach your end-of-year sales goals, people who are interested once in the offer you place but have not purchased with you can start with it.

Project creation and tracking:

It's easy to build and track projects at every process stage easily through reputed small business management software. If you have different types of systems to manage your works and projects, there is no possibility of linking with the costs or customers. In case you have a single system, then it's easy and quick to view expenses or link with any project or customers and also send the invoice for the appropriate projects.

Shortening the task of the employees:

With the help of time tracking software, the employees can efficiently finish their timesheets and also can be easily accessed by owners and managers. This enables a streamlined system, especially for calculating all types of wages. With the help of small business software, you can also use shared calendars to track how much human capital is present for any project.

Apart from this, there are many kinds of software available that offer you the capability to combine any process in your organization or company. Also, it is 100% assured that your small business runs easily when there is just one solution that acts as a one-stop solution for project management, marketing, sales, and invoicing.

It's easy to select the right laboratory software for your small business to increase your revenue by researching the best diagnostic software online. You need to focus on all the advantages, and essential specifications available to make the software more efficient and better for your small business before choosing the best small business software for you.

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Effective Steps to Manage Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) Software

Upgrading your clinical laboratory might be the latest enhancement you are implementing in your lab. This upgrade means you are automating the key functions to easily maintain the workflow. To make sure that your systems work in a smooth, harmonized, and safe manner, consider installing a cloud-based Laboratory Information Management system in your Lab. The cloud-based LIMS is no doubt the best choice to make as it has many advantages. A few of these are:

The data stored in the cloud are fully encrypted, hence 100% data safety.
Cost saving as there is no need for server maintenance.
With effective data recovery, any data loss can be reverted.
No manpower is required as everything is stored in the cloud, unlike physical servers.

Below are some simple tips to effectively manage your Cloud-based Laboratory Information Management System:

Implement a Cloud-Based Service Desk:

The most important step to do while implementing a cloud-based LIMS system is to provide a mini web page for clients to find information that caters to the needs of every patient. The internet is the influence king of the virtual world; so most of your patients will visit your website first, before heading over to your lab. Set up a cloud-based service desk and assist your patients just like you would do in your physical laboratory premises.

Make sure the webpage has a live chat facility so your customers can chat about the types of tests they can do and laboratory locations. Providing a live chat facility can help you to follow up in case the customers log out of the page suddenly. Also, features such as patient portals and customer portals empower your customers to download reports through the website making them completely independent.

Ease of Mobility:

Investing in a LIMS mobile app or website is the biggest advantage that Cloud-based servers can provide a laboratory. Since the data is stored at a remote location and is not bound by the constraints of physical hardware on the premises, investing in a mobile version of your laboratory’s website or even an App is a good idea.

You can take patient satisfaction to another level when you offer your patients and potential patients the ease to reach or access their health information on the go. With a virtual service desk in place, going mobile would mean more and better interactions and increased patient satisfaction.

LIMS Software Staff Training:

It’s essential to train laboratory staff to unlock the full power of your LIMS software application. To utilize LIMS software effectively, you can segregate the employees, departments wise, and provide training accordingly. Delegating one person as the head of training in every department can take the responsibility of providing LIMS-related knowledge sharing and periodic training. LIMS software training can include configuration options, storage, and retrieval of data, managing your workflows, and reporting. Staff training in each department is very important for businesses to succeed.

Increase Speed of Operation:

LIMS Software, specifically designed for laboratory information management, plays a pivotal role in optimizing operations. With a focus on pathology lab software, LIMS efficiently monitors various aspects such as Sample monitoring, sample workflow processes, patient visit count, inventory flow, cash flow, consultant performance, and overall business fluctuations over time. Through the analysis of these metrics, LIMS issues performance-based documents and develops standard quality indicators and key performance indicators, providing a comprehensive solution for laboratory management.

Additionally, Cloud-based LIS (Laboratory Information System) enhances the speed of laboratory operations. While technology facilitates remote meetings, Cloud-based LIS goes a step further by enabling access to data from any location, granting the user the necessary access rights. This feature ensures a swift exchange of information, contributing to an overall increase in the speed of laboratory operations. By seamlessly connecting personnel across different locations, the Cloud-based LIS becomes a valuable asset in streamlining workflows and promoting efficiency within the laboratory environment.

Ease up the Implementation Process and Quality Indicators:

The constant check of quality to ensure stability in business is a major requirement for any industry. With clinical laboratory, it is more of a service quality check rather than product one. Hence, quality indicators are of utmost importance to a laboratory.

LIMS Software, specifically designed for laboratory information management, can efficiently monitor various aspects of laboratory operations such as Sample monitoring, sample workflow process, patient visit count, inventory flow, cash flow, consultant performance, and overall business fluctuations over a period. The system analyzes these metrics to issue performance-based documents, and through the utilization of cloud technology, LIMS can develop standard quality indicators and key performance indicators.

By integrating a cloud-based LIMS System into your laboratory functions, you can optimize processes and identify areas for improvement. This innovative solution allows you to identify and understand your business metrics, paving the way for enhanced business optimization through the power of cloud technology. Whether it's managing sample workflows or evaluating consultant performance, the inclusion of LIMS Software, tailored for pathology lab software, brings a comprehensive and efficient approach to managing laboratory operations.

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Communication of patient lab data via state-of-the-art laboratory software

The profession of laboratory management system is a complicated one that requires the utmost care of the patients. The lab must convey a sense of trust to the customers so that they can entrust you with their samples for analysis.

Clinical Laboratories can now Wave off Manual Work:

With all this hard work already being done by clinical laboratories, the Department of Health took a new turn when it was decided that a lab has to send results directly to the patients. This was mainly done to relieve the stress from the patients who were waiting for their reports from the doctors. With instant report generation, doctors can now decide quickly on critical cases.

The mandatory direct lab report delivery to the patient can be done in various ways whichever is comfortable with the patient and the lab. With the latest technology on queue, the task has been rendered easy for the labs to be in touch with the patients. In this blog, let us discuss the various smart ways in which a lab can send lab reports to patients and deliver test sample reports to them.

Conveying the Message via Short Message Service (SMS):

Sharing reports via SMS can add to the benefit of sample report collection. One small SMS on the result of the test analysis can set the patient's mind at peace.

Lab reports, once generated, can easily be shared via SMS straight to the patient or the doctor, thus eliminating the need for manual handling, waiting time, or travelling. Reports of multiple tests performed by the patient are shared as separate updates to avoid possible commotion. With the intervention of LIMS Software in clinical laboratories, we help convey instantaneous report results to the patient as soon as the technician generates the results. The SMS conveying system for test results has many advantages, some of which are:

No manual human intervention is needed.
Immediate report sharing is made possible for emergency cases or critical patients.

Conveying the Message via E-mails:

One of the fail-safe methods for accessing patients anytime is messaging via electronic mail or E-mails. Incorporating advanced EMR (Electronic Medical Records) software enhances this communication channel, ensuring secure and efficient delivery of critical information. This method provides a convenient way to notify patients of their lab results promptly, allowing them to access full PDF reports via email. Additionally, the integration of EMR software allows for seamless consultation with a healthcare professional, further streamlining the patient experience and fostering a reliable means of communication between the laboratory and the patient.

This way the patient can be notified even at their place of work without them having to visit our facilities for manual collection of the report.

Once the lab report is generated with all the optimum observations made from the testing of samples, it can be sent via email in PDF format as an attachment so that the patient can infer from the report and take the necessary action if any is required. A LIMS Software-linked lab can save a lot of unwanted manual tasks and convey the message to the patient and doctor immediately for analysis. It has the same benefits as SMS, with the added advantage of the whole report being shared.

Report generation on Mobile App:

Mobile App Tracking:

A pre-installed mobile app on your smartphone offers the convenience of tracking the various phases of your test analysis. This feature keeps you informed about the progress and notifies you when your test results are ready.
With just a few swipes, you can access your test results as soon as they are generated by the technician.

Real-time Results:

Enjoy the benefit of real-time access to your test results through the mobile app. This ensures that you stay informed promptly, allowing for quick decisions or discussions with healthcare professionals.

Confidentiality Assurance:

Leverage the confidentiality of your smartphone to receive and review your test results. The secure environment of a personal device adds an extra layer of privacy to your health information.

Accessibility Anytime, Anywhere:

A smartphone with internet connectivity is all that is needed to access your reports on the go. This level of accessibility provides the flexibility to check the readiness of your report from anywhere and at any time.

Convenient and Efficient:

The mobile app streamlines the process, making it convenient and efficient for users to manage and view their test reports. This user-friendly interface enhances the overall experience of staying connected with your health information.

Direct Collection of the report from the lab:

Among the various intelligent approaches discussed earlier, the method of directly collecting the lab report from the laboratory stands out as a reliable option. This can be considered the final smart strategy in the lineup. Despite being a traditional approach, opting for the direct collection of the report from the lab is particularly secure, especially when dealing with sensitive information.

While it involves a physical effort to obtain the report from the lab, an alternative is to have the report posted directly to the patient's home. This direct collection method can complement any of the previously mentioned patient-initiated lab report retrieval methods. The patient is first informed of the results and can then choose to collect the report at their convenience. The full PDF report sent via email, facilitated by advanced laboratory software, allows for easy viewing and consultation with a doctor, making the collection of the printed lab report a less urgent and more straightforward task.

These represent a few of the methods available to send lab reports to patients, and clinical laboratories have the flexibility to utilize all or some of the above techniques. By employing these methods, the clinical laboratory aims to foster a sense of ease and trust with the patients, ultimately establishing a strong rapport.

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The rise of new technologies has made the volume of data drastically increasing day by day. The data volume generated globally across clinical research, biobanks, and other relevant testing laboratories are developing at a faster rate. Surviving the vast data volume and influencing it for research or business is stimulative for labs, especially if they don't possess a regulated mechanism to use and process the data.

One of the crucial reasons to invest in the Lab Information Management System (LIMS) is that it is used for organizing the data disregarding what type of industry you belong to. Information availability and rapid data growth have resulted in the extensive evolution of data management. Below are ten vital signs that state why you should invest in a LIMS.

1. Your laboratory holds higher operational costs:

Leading the particular portion of the allotted funds into laboratory personnel for management and data entry operations.

A Lab Information Management System frees human resources from time consuming and unproductive tasks, and therefore, they are considered as the high saver for your data entry and management operations. You will be able to pay-as-you-go on any basis like monthly or yearly if you prefer to go with a cloud-based LIMS. This means that you no need to make any investments towards hardware installations.

2. You hold transcriptional data entry errors and are not able to share information (data silos):

It indicates poor data traceability, problems with connecting data across various data sources & instruments, and data's manual input leading to transcriptional errors.

A Lab Information Management System combines with other data sources and instruments flawlessly and manages the data in the laboratory in an enhanced manner. LIMS automated calculations save time and decrease errors for laboratory personnel. Apart from this, the information can also be retrieved accurately at any time.

3. When there is a risk in your laboratory data:

The sign is when you are not able to grab access to perceptive clinical information, no reliability, not able to follow the regulations based on your industries, making use of paper-based systems and spreadsheets to manage data in your laboratory.

A Lab Information Management System provided enhanced reliability and data security by matching the industry-related standards, namely 21 CFR Part 11, HIPAA, and more. It also protects perceptive clinical information by hindering user access of unauthorized persons.

4. When your laboratory has an inferior disaster management system:

Insufficiency of a suitable mechanism for data storage and retrieval in the event of theft, fire, or natural calamities.

A Lab Information Management System ensures data continual by copying data to mirror servers, storing data on the primary servers, and also make sure on the timely backups. The information can be managed in case of any theft, fire, or natural disasters.

5. When you don't have real-time data metrics:

The sign indicates when there are no updates to laboratory clients and users on sample processing stages when there are no notifications and alerts for sample expiry or inventory depletion, and when there is no real-time display of metrics of the laboratory in the main dashboard to watch out important problems.

A Lab Information Management System alerts you regarding the inventory depletion or assists in identifying expired samples with the help of alarms, and this makes sure about the timely inventory replenishment. The LIMS also helps you to stay updated on testing or processing samples in your labs by sending application notification or email alerts so that you will be able to know the critical problems instantly.

6. When your laboratory has poor traceability and limited data storage capacity:

The sign is when there are any difficulties in tracing the possible data instantly by searching over different piles of paper data when generating an extensive amount of sample information with the help of paperwork, and when there are too many piles of paper data in the labs, limiting the capacity in the data storage.

A Lab Information Management System assists in managing information electronically and helps to decrease paperwork. You can accurately and instantly trace information with the help of different tools. A cloud-based LIMS protects the data in the cloud, and this data is accessible in real-time and 24/7 available anywhere.

7. When your laboratory is unable to reach the expected productivity:

Delayed Turnaround Times and experimental analysis over industry averages, and influencing human resources for auditing, manual data entry, report generation are the vital signs.

A Lab Information Management System helps labs to plan data management effectively, accelerate operations, and execute different business decisions. It also helps in generating rapid reports and control an audit trail along with time stamp and date.

8. When you have sustainability problems:

When your competitors receive more orders when compared to you and when there are insufficient business agility and responsiveness.

A Lab Information Management System can help in making your laboratory business active amid the complicated global market.

9. When your laboratory lacks collaboration scientifically:

When there requires a high sample turn around time and data duplication for sharing with collaborators and partners.

A Lab Information Management System, particularly in the case of cloud-based, helps in decreasing errors, avoid data duplication, enables accelerated turn around time, and effective collaboration. Apart from this, it also allows us to achieve higher profit, market share, and productivity.

10. When you have no capabilities in customizing for your different data management methods:

Applying new changes to the existing data manually to the older records, and where there is no customizations option available with spreadsheets and paper-based systems.

A Lab Information Management System enables customization as per your requirements and is also considered as the highly configurable solution. Any new changes can be applied instantly on the original records and therefore saves more time.

I hope the above signs let you choose the right LIMS Software. Any other queries and comments on the Lab Information Management System are welcome.

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Published By Sanjana

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