Laboratory Information Systems

Information systems are a means of saving and storing information with efficiency. It makes organization simpler, easier, and faster. An information system delivers important data and information to a business’s decision-making process. Thus, considering the size and scope.

The need for an information system in a clinical laboratory setting is crucial. This is due to the fact that there is a data and information explosion in the healthcare industry. Hence, the introduction of Laboratory Information System (LIS).

The LIS, like other information systems, records, manages and stores useful data. It’s focused on clinical laboratory-based operations compared to other information systems. This includes important software for tracking specimens and patients in a lab.

Other than that, an LIS has varied roles in having systematic management in a laboratory. The LIS may incorporate point-of-care testing help, outreach tools, and data mining capabilities. This supports audit capabilities, and workflow-guiding decision-support rules.

An overview of the functions of the LIS is that it allows data centralization. The main advantage of LIS software is having a single system for gathering and managing all lab data. Laboratory personnel houses information about instruments inventories, and studies in one central area.

The LIS has three main components. According to Nancy Short in “Core Components of Laboratory Information Systems (2021)”:

1. Protocol execution drives the standardization of the lab’s processes, steps, and workflow. It ensures that personnel on duty processes a sample under a predetermined process.

2. Sample tracking, its primary task is to trace a sample’s development. Upon accession, the management system will record all pertinent information for a sample.

3. Storage organizations, watch the storage of samples in the lab. It is often associated with storage hierarchy.

For efficient management of samples, laboratories use Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS). It boosts lab productivity and faster storage of related data. To accommodate various functionalities and laboratory types, there are LIS and LIMS. LIS is for clinical and patient-centric specimens and LIMS to accommodate sample-centric requirements.

The LIMS handles the sample’s processing in the laboratory. It starts from ordering the test down to the release of the Certificate of Analysis. The LIMS process begins as a sample arrives by registering it on the system. Followed by giving it a unique identification number. An example of a unique identification number is a sample barcode.

The lab updates important data in a LIMS as samples progress. This ensures a complete record of results, validation, and approval.

In a basic lab setup, it begins by ordering the test, registering it, and collecting the data sample. Next, sample testing considers TAT (Turn Around Time) mandated in the lab. Some labs transfer data to result sheets in an electronic manner, but not common local labs.

As an end result, the LIMS offers a complete and accurate report of the laboratory test result.

This promotes patient care and service by making information available. Hence, it is ready for diagnostic testing to arrive at treatment decisions. These data aid in the elimination of inaccurate diagnoses. It helps in gathering patient histories which enable appropriate treatment.

Through the LIS, there is a formation of a thorough yet comprehensive report. It fosters healthcare betterment and patient-care improvement. This leads us to a conclusion that LIS is essential.