A Cloud-based Web Laboratory platform is a suitable environment for all stakeholders to collaborate through instant communication. Web laboratory, also known as cloud laboratory. A web lab software enables lab personnel, practitioner and patients to conduct a range of transactions through the web. The online lab system will typically connect to or be part of the core Lab Information System (LIS) operated by the lab, to provide remote services via internet access. On the other hand, the cloud is centralized storage servers, usually off-site, that are accessed remotely.
Web applications
Today, we can use web application suites for handling all aspect of a medical laboratory, providing functionality not possible at the past, through a web browser. Web applications match desktop software in functionality, speed and appearance, and in some cases have managed to overshadow their counterparts. The technologies supporting these advances are injecting opportunities of new and modified ideas into businesses, creating virtual lab places.
Web applications are becoming increasingly popular due to their accessibility and flexibility. Organizations are utilizing the power of the Internet to provide information to their partners, and clients, and to equip their staff with collaborative productivity tools. Web lab software significantly reduces the labs’ operating cost, and offers greater convenience to remote users in time saving. The operations of the web laboratory :
- helps the employees work from anywhere or to create a virtual office at home.
- connects laptop or pc to internet aided devices to access cloud computing and storage.
- provides enormous application in all fields to reduce the complexity and on-time delivery with high quality management.
Benefits of Cloud-based Web Laboratory
Lower cost
Moving laboratory business ‘to the cloud’ means resources can be pooled to use at a single storage facility, so laboratory don’t have the overhead of maintaining on-site servers. Migrating from on-site servers means a smaller IT team, lower electricity bills and the ability to utilize valuable commercial real estate space profitably. Cloud-based applications are installed centrally in a hosting environment, but are consumed by many.
Ease of Communication
Communication across healthcare fields has always presented a challenge, particularly in complex cases where a patient might visit multiple specialists in different fields and require specific tests for each. The cloud is effectively leveraged by allowing secure access to centralized documents, assuring each practitioner has the most recent, up-to-date information. Via secure servers, practitioners can request blood tests from labs directly and have the results securely transmitted directly back to the patient’s electronic medical record. A lab may find greater profitability when utilizing a cloud based laboratory information system. If a practitioner orders a test and uses a provided kit, that information can be transmitted through the cloud to the lab and automatically tracked for re-supply and billing.
Scalability
The cloud provides more power and with great scalability. Web applications scale extremely well with your organization. Virtually, they can support any number of users and, instead of managing multiple software installations for each employee – a single version of the system is maintained on a central computer. The real-time update capacity of cloud computing can help ensure that different teams are not simultaneously replicating workloads – creating greater efficiencies throughout organizations.
Compatibility
Desktop software upgrades might create a problem where the new system cannot read or manipulate files created by a previous version of the software. Desktop software might also be affected by changes in the Operating System and, in turn, might affect other desktop software. Internet applications minimize the backward-compatibility problem: any changes to the application itself are made on a central server, meaning that all users are automatically using the latest version of the application.
Platform-independence
Internet applications are agnostic to platforms, meaning that you can provide everyone with access to the same software.
Portable Power
Hosting information in the cloud that is accessed remotely means even small devices can have extensive access to information and functionality that would have previously been limited by the capability of the device. Moving data to the cloud allows pocket-sized devices to access a nearly infinit amount of information without taking up any storage space. The benefit of virtualization is removing the step of an IT team installing software on every piece of equipment, then periodically updating each one as needed. Software is installed on the cloud, accessed by a simple browser, and updates to that cloud-based software are immediately up-to-date on each device accessing the cloud.
Policy that meets guidelines
Certification in procedures, data encryption, highly controlled data center access, a disaster recovery plan, and a security plan. Many cloud providers are making an effort to go above and beyond typical requirements, and health institutions should settle for nothing less than strict compliance and stellar security.
A huge benefit of cloud storage is the capacity to seamlessly and instantly share data and results with multiple locations. If a team is part of a health organization, this can really streamline how the different teams interact with each other. Furthermore, cloud laboratory computing can automatically timestamp and attribute uploaded data – so everyone knows who was responsible for every element and exactly when each patient data set was uploaded or updated. This additional clarity can reduce admin, and increase efficiencies.
Cloud Computing for the Laboratory
For many laboratories, the data collected from tests and processes performed is the most valuable asset they have and underpins the business decisions they make. Therefore, it is crucial that the data is collated and stored in a manner that keeps it secure, but also allows it to be efficiently used to support the various business objectives.
Storing data in the cloud is becoming an increasingly central part of how so many businesses operate on a daily basis. The amount of data that is being created, and consequently stored, is increasing. One of the reasons for this increase is the fact that many laboratories are now using electronic data management solutions, which make it easier to capture and analyze data efficiently. An electronic solution streamlines data capture and analysis, since many of the processes are automated. As result, Health organizations are looking for flexible data storage.
Cloud-based Web Laboratory Infrastructure
Many of these electronic-based data management systems are deployed using an organization’s infrastructure; for example, using servers that are hosted within an on-premise data center. This has meant that as the amount of captured, analyzed, and stored data increases, so does the need for more infrastructure, such as servers. The processes that many laboratories and organizations need to go through to obtain this extra infrastructure can be extremely time-consuming. Subsequently, the ability to quickly adapt to the changing business requirements can be lost. So, laboratories and organizations are now turning to technology providers that can deliver infrastructure and/or software in a flexible way, which can adapt to the ever-changing business needs and/or the desire to capture and use increasing amounts of data.
In addition, it’s widely accepted that electronic data management solutions, which are integrated into corporate user identity management systems, provide a high level of security for an organization’s most treasured asset: their data.
Security on a Cloub-based Web Laboratory
Security is at the forefront of everything that a public cloud vendor does, since it would be very detrimental to the third-party vendor if the security of any data that was stored in their public cloud was compromised. Therefore, public cloud vendors have large numbers of security professionals and systems, compared to organizations’ on-premise setups, which are continually monitoring and acting upon perceived security threats in addition to actual threats. This also includes keeping the systems up to date in terms of infrastructure and software updates. Therefore, the systems that the cloud vendor is providing are always in top condition and ready to adapt to a customer’s needs.
A cloud-deployed system can also provide organizations with an automated and flexible backup process. This generally includes the ability to back up in different locations, to ensure that the risk of data loss due to system issues is extremely small. The cloud also provides a scalable infrastructure resource that can easily be increased or decreased as organizational needs change.
Providing this same level of flexibility, security, scalability, and resilience for an organization’s on-premise deployed system is extremely costly and time-consuming. So, organizations are turning to cloud technology, and in many cases using software as a service (SaaS), to further reduce their operational burden and drive increased efficiency.
SaaS Web Laboratory Application
Newer laboratory data management software solutions are now provided as ‘Software As A Service’ (SaaS). This is because organizations are focusing on the capabilities of what the software provides. SaaS products attend to be quicker to deploy, since setting up and maintaining the infrastructure to run the software is the responsibility of the vendor providing the service.
Another advantage of SaaS is that there’s a clear separation of responsibilities between the customer using the software and the vendor providing the service/software. This approach adds a layer of security in that it would require both the vendor and the customer to conspire to tamper with the data. The likelihood of that is extremely small. The vendor is focused on ensuring that the software/service is running to provide the best experience for the customer, and that the data is captured and stored in a secure and resilient manner. This means that the customer can focus on their business needs and adapt or change as required. For example, the ability to easily increase or decrease their use as business objectives change and keep the organization nimble and competitive, while keeping their data secure, always.
Switching to a Cloud-based Web Laboratory
You should consider investing in Cloud based Web laboratory applications if you want to:
- have a single, centralized system that will be accessible from multiple platforms and devices
- integrate with other web assets such as collaboration tools, widgets, and APIs
- target and provide a rich user experience to a wider, audience
- increase the level of engagement your customers have with your lab
- limit your licensing, software maintenance and hardware costs
- have a low-cost distribution channel for your services
The switch from on-site information storage to a cloud solution can be a difficult one for laboratories to manage, especially when the important and sensitive nature of their data is taken into account.
The selection process of a SaaS solution should not vary significantly from any other software purchase: the software must be able to meet the business need(s) it’s being selected for. Other considerations, if not one of the primary needs, should be the flexibility the software will provide so that it can address the anticipated future needs and deliver a seamless end user experience.
SaaS web laboratory solution, underpinned by cloud technology, have the ability to address industry concerns and provide the flexibility to adapt to ever-changing laboratory needs, while providing the necessary security for the most valuable asset: the data.
Cloud-based Web Laboratory software ‘MediLab-i’
‘MediLab-i’ Cloud Laboratory Software is an Internet (HTML) software suitable for web-based operation either locally or in the cloud. It is a complement to the laboratory platform ‘MediLab LIS’ working simultaneously and harmoniously. It includes two main subsystems: the ‘MediLab-i Order’ which allows test prescription data entry, and the ‘MediLab-i View’ for reviewing patient results, as soon as they have been approved by the laboratory.
In conclusion, the concept of cloud base web laboratory is not going to fade away. The healthcare laboratory stands to especially benefit from the cost savings, ease of communication, greater security, and increased functionality. IT departments and practice managers not already formulating a shift to the cloud should consider developing this part of their strategy for the future.