Rules is the backbone of the successful operation of any system. They bring order, and give the ability to predict behavior and outcomes. Inside a lab, rules are the guidelines that dictate a follow-up action based on a specific test result. However, Laboratories certainly require rules. Laboratory personnel call them “review criteria” or “clinical testing guidelines”.
There are four layers of rules in the lab:
An abnormal result in any of these categories can trigger a specific and predefined response. Therefore, if a patient sample completes testing without violating any of the predefined rules, the test results are cleared for release to the physicians.
Application of rules is either manually, with lab personnel responsible for initiating the follow-up action, or through automation. The process is known as auto-verification. In other words, this process not only improves quality but offers potential reduction in both time to results and cost.
The time that was originally spent manually reviewing and validating normal results is now dedicated only to results that require attention. Because each laboratory is different, rules are different too. Their role is to meet the specific needs of the lab and the expectations of the clinicians.
For many laboratories, data automation is a first, important step toward gains in efficiency. Therefore, the automation that ‘MediLab LIS’ offers, can help laboratories to achieve their core goals. From pre- to post-analytics, automation can help labs increase their testing capacity, improve turnaround time, and minimize human error. Additinally they also can realize significant cost savings while keeping specialized staff focused on the most essential tasks. The goal is to put critical information in the hands of care-givers and treatment decision-makers. Therefore with reduced staffing becoming the norm in today’s clinical labs, the value of automation is even more apparent.
Laboratory Information System ‘MediLab LIS’ covers every operational needs of clinical labs. It is both a web based and a client-server application with enhanced customization capabilities. It allows a flexible and rapid system implementation at any healthcare laboratory environment. Moreover it offers access through tablets and smartphones. ‘MediLab LIS’ is one of the most robust, productive and complete Laboratory Information System solutions available today in Europe.
It provides extensive support to the daily procedures and data. On a daily basis thousands of physicians and healthcare professionals at hundreds of medical laboratories in hospitals and diagnostic centres use ‘MediLab LIS’, to provide accurate, on-time and secure care for their patients. With advanced customization capabilities it adapts easily to the particular operational requirements of all types and sizes.
In conclusion, from patient confidentiality to sharing patient results, and from expert rules to MediLab intelligence, everything has been setup. The goal is optimisation of laboratory performance and the contribution to improving the quality of care and patient safety.
