Selecting your laboratory information management system (LIMS) is one of the most crucial decisions you will make for your lab and your company.
Whether you need a LIMS to support a rapid period of growth, or you’re retiring aging infrastructure and want the assurances of a smooth, uninterrupted data migration and implementation, the LIMS partner you select should both address your current pain points and prepare you for the future.
Key First Steps
A critical first step in the LIMS vetting process is identifying the right selection team. This team should include multi-functional representatives spanning I.T., Management, Quality/Regulatory, Commercial, and Operations to ensure any area that is impacted by the LIMS decision is covered. Once assembled, this team needs to create a prioritized set of LIMS requirements to use when evaluating fit for each potential vendor. Don’t worry if these requirements are unpolished at this stage; the best partners will help you refine your requirements during the selection process and later in the LIMS implementation phase.
Lean on the Experts
Labs typically generate very thorough requirements to define technical and functional components of the LIMS system, but what’s often overlooked is the strength of the vendor partnership to ensure your business success. A new lab with limited staffing will need to rely heavily on business and process experts provided by the LIMS vendor. For that reason, it’s important to select a LIMS partner with deep expertise in laboratory operations to support initial process workflow development and to help anticipate and minimize growing pains as you expand and scale your business.
More established labs transitioning to a new LIMS need that very same level of deep expertise, as data migrations and the adoption of a new system can be challenging. Your vendor partner should understand that the lab does not stop during a LIMS implementation and provide a detailed project plan across all functions to facilitate a smooth conversion.
No matter your lab size, your business deserves a LIMS partner that is deeply entrenched in the laboratory testing business and brings a wealth of lab experience and subject matter experts to support the transition.
Consider ApolloLIMS
As your team begins to develop a LIMS selection plan and define the requirements for your new system, consider ApolloLIMS as a vendor partner. Our team offers an unparalleled commitment to our customers’ success, as well as tools and expertise to help you perform at a higher level both now and in the future. Contact our team to learn more.
Whether a new or established lab, deep subject matter expertise in lab operations from your LIMS vendor is critical to your success.
