L10-11

• Laboratory information management system (LIMS)


  Software designed to make labs more efficient and effective, especially those that process massive amounts of samples for research and development (R&D), manufacturing, and medical research
• Sample management


  1. Record who or what the sample was taken from

  2. Record which researchers/providers are working with it

  3. Record where it's been, and where it needs to go next

  4. Record how to store it

  5. Record when it does need to move
• Workflow management


  1. Automate workflows to save time

  2. Codify existing methods and procedures in a LIMS to delegate decision-making to the software

  3. Automatically assign work to scientists and suggest instruments based on preset rules
• Reporting


  1. Quickly pull reports to answer questions such as which instruments get used the most, how long your sample backlog is, and how long it takes your lab to process a sample

  2. Some LIMS can provide more granular reporting, like average time broken out by type of sample
• EMR/EHR


  Some LIMS have electronic health records (EHR) functionality built-in, including patient check-in and billing
• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released an "Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories standard (29 CFR 1910.1450)" in 2011 to facilitate laboratory safety
• Laboratory


  A facility where the "laboratory use of hazardous chemicals" occurs, where relatively small quantities of hazardous chemicals are used on a non-production basis
• Laboratory use of hazardous chemicals


  Handling or use of such chemicals where protective laboratory practices and equipment are available and in common use to minimize the potential for worker exposure
• If the Laboratory standard applies, employers must develop a Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP) to address all aspects of the procurement, storage, handling, and disposal of chemicals in use
• Primary elements of a CHP

  • Minimizing exposure to chemicals by establishing standard operating procedures, requirements for personal protective equipment, engineering controls, and waste disposal procedures
  • Designating responsible persons for procurement and handling of Material Safety Data Sheets, organizing training sessions, monitoring employee work practices, and annual revision of the CHP
• Patient registration


  Admission clerk takes basic information, then guides patient to registration window
• Billing


  Generate Statements of Accounts (SOAs) or Billing Statements for Inpatients, Outpatients, and Emergencies
• Contract management


  Manage the billing and payment aspects of laboratory activities and create statistical and billing reports
• Quality control


  Verify whether the instrument is working within prescribed parameters to ensure patient test results are reliable
• Barcode generation, printing and reading

  1. LIMS modules link to a barcode label generator to identify tubes, samples, documents, etc.

  2. Barcode series can be customized to suit the organization's needs

  3. Use barcode scanners to effortlessly find and retrieve information
• Bi-directional interface


  Two-way communication between the analyzer (equipment) and information system interface, downloading specimen ID and test orders, and uploading specimen ID and test results
• Accounts receivable


  1. Generate specific or complete Accounts Receivable reports

  2. Monitor balances for reconciliation and audit purposes

  3. Export data to other accounting systems

  4. Customize reports
• Work list and workflow

  1. Set priorities of current workloads based on analyst and instrument availability

  2. Track a sample, batch, or lot through its lifecycle

  3. Provide insight into when an event occurred, how long it was, and who was involved

  4. Enable personnel and workload management
• Cardiology Information System (CIS)


  Focused on the storage and retrieval of Cardiology-centric images, receiving orders with patient demographics and storing images for further distribution, viewing, and long-term archive
• Cardiology Information Systems


  • Ease of access while maintaining data security
  • Flexibility in the workflow
  • Enhanced Comparability
• Functionalities of Cardiology Information Systems

  • Editing, Viewing and Storing Multi-Modal Cardiology Data
  • Remote Access
  • Visualization and Reporting Capabilities
  • EHR Integration
• Radiology Information System (RIS)


  A networked software system for managing medical imagery and associated data, often used in conjunction with Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and Vendor Neutral Archives (VNA) within a Hospital Information System (HIS)
• Advantages of using an RIS

  • Better communication with referring doctors
  • Faster payments
  • Improved efficiency
• Basic functions of an RIS


  • Patient Management
  • Scheduling
  • Patient Tracking
  • Results Reporting
  • Image Tracking
  • Billing