Finding a Lab system is not unlike searching for the lost city of gold. Traversing the jungle with machete’ in hand, hacking through the dense vegetation, seeing your destination, and just as you walk toward it, QUICKSAND!
As a lab manager you are responsible for selecting a system that your techs can use, your management can afford and one in which will not cause you ulcers and a bid for early retirement. In the process of selecting a lab system many factors are to be evaluated. From various resources we have compiled this document in order to aid you in your selection. Let’s talk about some basics of selection.
Point 1 - Initial Evaluation
Avoid decision conflict by prioritizing your needs early. Determine up front what you would like in a system. You may think of a lab system as an employee, "What can you do for me that would make me want to hire you?" In essence, this is what you are doing. However, you can fire an employee, but a commitment to a lab system may be a long term relationship. Cost is not always a good indicator of quality, performance or value. Low cost systems may not guarantee expandability to accommodate increased needs, while high cost systems do not always guarantee value. The best value comes from a system that performs for you.
Point 2 - Requirements Research
Understand your requirements and the benefit that you gain from each of them. Quantify these on paper. If I have this feature, how much money will it save me over the next year, two years, etc.? If it is not a money issue, then break it down to a three tier answer:
- 1) would help me immensely,
- 2) would help some,
- 3) would be a nice feature, but probably not help that much.
Point 3 - Outside Research
Discuss your needs and automation needs with others (lab managers, etc.) that have automation in place. Find out what they like, dislike, would like to have(now that they have committed), and what they believe are critical issues with automation.
Point 4 - Staff Requirements
Discuss it with your staff. What are their major problem areas today that they would like solved?
Point 5 - Future Needs
Determine your future needs. What will your lab need in 2 years, 3 years or even 5 years. How many samples will you be processing? What type of instrumentation will you be using?
Point 6 - Process Analysis
Analyze your laboratory in behavioral terms. Describe how things work today, and then how you would like for them to work. To do this, you need to separate yourself from the lab and look at it as if you were walking into it for the first time. Then evaluate:
- How are orders generated and communicated to the lab?
- How are patient samples delivered and labeled?
- How are specimens accessioned and prepared?
- How is testing accomplished?
- How are results communicated back to the nurses/physicians?
Point 7 - Hardware Planning
- What computer hardware platforms do you have in place today?
- Will there likely be a change in the next five years?
- Will the host system you are currently using be replaced in the next few years?
Point 8 - Workload Planning
- How many samples do you process on average per day?
- How does this segment into your various departments?
- What portions need to be reported from a central LIS and what portions must be processed via handwriting?
Point 9 - Interfacing
- Do I need an interface to an instrument (1 or more)?
- Do I need an interface to a host system? (e.g.. Medical Manager, MediTech, etc.)
- Do I need remote printers or fax? (reports sent to doctors offices, etc.)
- Do I need interfaces to other laboratories? (e.g.. SmithKline)
- Do I need reports to be printed immediately on completion?
- What other interfaces will I need in the future?
Point 10 - Prioritization Now that you have a list of everything that you want and may ever desire, which features are most important and which are least? Which features will really help you and which are just fluff? Try to prioritize then on a 3 tier basis where:
- I must have this feature today and I can not live without it.
- I could use this feature but could live without it, or I will need this in the future.
- It would be nice to have this feature, but it’s not really necessary.
Evaluation
We have provided the following charts to assist you in your selection. The features listed are only a few of the features available in some LIS’s. We feel that many of these are key to having an effective system. You will probably add many of your own needs to this list. Should you have any questions about this or have any questions about LIS selection, we will be happy to assist you in any way possible. Call us at 1 (800) 487 - 5227.
Needs Evaluation
General Lab Data
| Description | Qty today | Qty 1-2 yrs | Qty 3-5 yrs | 5+ yrs |
| Samples per day processed | ||||
| Reference work printing /reporting | ||||
| HIS /Host Interfaces | ||||
| Instrument Interfaces | ||||
| Reference Lab Interfaces |
Feature evaluation
| Feature | Priority | Future Need (Y/N) | Notes |
General Features
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Accessioning
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Test Setup
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Quality Control
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Instrument
Interfaces
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Result Entry
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Reporting/Printing
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Support Available
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| Additional Features: |