It’s simply a fact that while many laboratories have a laboratory information management system (LIMS), many simply do not use their LIMS to its fullest capacity and value – and in many cases, only a fraction of functionality is utilized. Typically, a LIMS selection process includes defining the requirements for the LIMS within the lab and generating a list of the features that the laboratory intends to implement and use. The goal of the selection process is to adopt a system that will improve laboratory efficiency and the overall quality of diagnostic testing.
But whether it’s deciding to delay implementation of certain functionality during the build phase, or failing to fully absorb the necessary training on the system, labs often inadvertently never realize the full value of their LIMS and ultimately sacrifice the return on their LIMS investment.
Capture the Highest Value of Your LIMS Solution
At ApolloLIMS, we see some commonly neglected functionalities among our customers when they leave one LIMS system and choose ApolloLIMS. We partner with our customers from day one to capture the highest value of the ApolloLIMS solution from implementation to go-live and beyond.
Here’s a few of the most commonly neglected LIMS modules that create inefficiencies for laboratories:
Physician Portal
A well-designed LIMS will recognize the clinical laboratory and the ordering physician can both benefit from a web-based portal that allows for remote ordering of tests and downloading of patient test results reports. First and foremost, the physician portal provides a convenience for the ordering physician and reduces barriers to requesting your laboratory’s diagnostic tests. ApolloLIMS tailors the physician portal branding to your company and helps with messaging to convey your laboratory’s commitment to service and quality. Laboratories that do not partner with their LIMS vendors to ensure a physician portal is implemented early will miss out on both the sales and workflow benefits.
System Interfacing
Modern LIMS must be very agile in terms of their ability to integrate with laboratory equipment and external third-party software (e.g., electronic medical records and billing systems). Every clinical laboratory requires systems integration to streamline processes, ensure data accuracy, and timely data transfer. The ApolloLIMS team has developed robust interfaces with nearly every instrument manufacturer (with no additional middleware required), and tools and processes to ensure that system interfaces can be established quickly and reliably. If your LIMS is not interfaced with all laboratory equipment and common healthcare software systems in use, your laboratory is sacrificing full automation and operating with costly inefficiencies.
Operational Reporting
Whether sales, operational data or billing data, the management of a lab depends on data to run the business on a daily basis. We believe if the data is in the LIMS, then it should be both accessible and reportable. The ApolloLIMS team has helped many laboratories with the development of operational reports that help drive insights and efficiencies. It’s a critical piece of functionality not to be overlooked with your LIMS partner.
Result Reports
A sophisticated LIMS can generate graphically rich patient test results reports that leave a positive impression about your laboratory’s brand and, most importantly, make the patient result easier to understand. Even though most LIMS solutions have the ability to create test result reports, many laboratories choose to send out reports that are bland and boxy, which is not the message most diagnostic laboratories want to communicate to their clients. A few weeks of time invested with your LIMS partner to design a visually appealing test result report will pay dividends for your laboratory’s brand.
If your laboratory has questions about how to utilize a LIMS to its highest value, contact our team at ApolloLIMS. We specialize in developing partnerships with our customers that maximize your return on investment.
