Clinical Laboratory Informatics

Clinical Laboratory informatics is a specialized section of information technology. A platform of instruments, software, and data management tools allow laboratory data to be captured, migrated, processed and interpreted for immediate use. As a result maximisation of efficiency of laboratory operations is achieved.
Technological developments have made laboratory equipment more interactive. As a result these developments allow large networks of integrated lab devices, computers, and telecommunications equipment to log, analyze, and distribute data. This has enabled diagnostic tests to move from a localized to an internet model.

Clinical Laboratory informatics helps medical personnel to spend less time collecting data. In turn medical personnel focus more on the work at hand and makes the diagnosis both faster and more efficient. This has led to laboratories requiring more robust and scalable data management systems to stay competitive.

 

Capability areas

In the context of Public Health Laboratories, the Association of Public Health Laboratories has identified 19 areas for self-assessment of laboratory informatics in their Laboratories Efficiencies Initiative.

These include the following Capability Areas:

Laboratory Informatics

  • Laboratory Test Request and Sample Receiving
  • Test Preparation, LIMS Processing, Test Results Recording and Verification
  • Report Preparation and Distribution
  • Laboratory Test Scheduling
  • Prescheduled Testing
  • Specimen and Sample Tracking/Chain of Custody
  • Media, Reagents, Controls: Manufacturing and Inventory
  • Interoperability and Data Exchange
  • Statistical Analysis and Surveillance
  • Training, Education and Resource Management
  • Laboratory Certifications/Licensing
  • Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) Management
  • Laboratory Safety and Accident Investigation
  • Laboratory Mutual Assistance/Disaster Recovery
  • Core IT Service Management: Hardware, Software and Services
  • Policies and Procedures, including Budgeting and Funding
  • Billing for Laboratory Services
  • Customer Relationship Management 

Meeting the challenges

The clinical lab faces two main challenges:

  • being a lab that excels at its core business, and
  • running that lab as a successful business.

The first challenge requires the ability to provide competitive turnaround times, accurate results. Aditionally requires a customized final report with the ability to show and prove those metrics. This is a key factor in gaining new business and keeping existing customers.
The second challenge requires the ability to do all of the above efficiently, at the best possible ROI, and in a scalable manner.

In conclusion, the key to meeting both of these challenges is having the right technology infrastructure. Laboratory Information System ‘MediLab LIS’ offers to laboratories the ability to be supported by a power tool, customized to their real needs, covering all activities of the lab in a robust manner.

 

Laboratory Information System ‘MediLab LIS’ is part of the medical suite of CCS, which has a proven record of continuous development and a successful business course for more than 30 years in the medical software domain.