eLaboratory Systems
eLaboratory Systems / HL7 Integration
Technology Operations
- the reception and log in of and its associated customer data
- the assignment, scheduling, and tracking of the sample and the associated analytical workload
- the processing and quality control associated with the sample and the utilized equipment and inventory
- the storage of data associated with the sample analysis
- the inspection, approval, and compilation of the sample data for reporting and/or further analysis
- There are several pieces of core functionality associated with these Laboratory processing phases that tend to appear in e Laboratory:
Sample management
A lab worker matches blood samples to documents. With an e Laboratory, this sort of sample management is made more efficient.
The core function of eLaboratory has traditionally been the management of samples. This typically is initiated when a sample is received in the Laboratory, at which point the sample will be registered in the eLaboratory. The processing could then include a step where the sample container is registered and sent to the customer for the sample to be taken and then returned to the lab. The registration process may involve the sample and producing to affix to the sample container. Various other parameters such as clinical or information corresponding with the sample are also often recorded. The eLaboratory system then tracks chain of custody as well as sample location. Location tracking usually involves assigning the sample to a particular freezer location, often down to the granular level of shelf, rack, box, row, and column.
Instrument and application integration
eLaboratory offer an increasing amount of integration with lab instruments and applications. An e Laboratory may create control files that are “fed” into the instrument and direct its operation on some physical item such as a sample tube or sample plate. The eLaboratory may then import instrument results files to extract data for quality control assessment of the operation on the sample. Access to the instrument data can sometimes be regulated based on chain of custody assignments or other security features if need be.
Additional functions
Aside from the key functions of sample management, instrument and application integration, and electronic data exchange, there are numerous additional operations that can be managed in a eLaboratory. This includes but is not limited to
Modules of eLaboratory Systems
Audit Management
Fully track and maintain an audit trail
Barcode Handling
Assign one or more data points to a barcode format; read and extract information from a barcode
Chain of Custody
Assign roles and groups that dictate access to specific data records and who is managing them
Compliance
Follow regulatory standards that affect the eLaboratory
Customer Relationship Management
Handle the demographic information and communications for associated clients
Document Management
Process and convert data to certain formats; manage how documents are distributed and accessed
Instrument Calibration and Maintenance
Schedule important maintenance and calibration of lab instruments and keep detailed records of such activities
Inventory and Equipment Management
Measure and record inventories of vital supplies and ELABORATORY equipment
Manual and Electronic Data Entry
Provide fast and reliable interfaces for data to be entered by a human or electronic component
Method Management
Provide one location for all ELABORATORY process and procedure (P&P) and methodology to be housed and managed as well as connecting each sample handling step with current instructions for performing the operation
Personnel and Workload Management
Organize work schedules, workload assignments, employee demographic information, training, and financial information
Quality Assurance and Control
Gauge and control sample quality, data entry standards, and workflow
Reports
Create and schedule reports in a specific format; schedule and distribute reports to designated parties
Time Tracking
Calculate and maintain processing and handling times on chemical reactions, workflows, and more
Traceability
show audit trail and/or chain of custody of a sample
Workflows
Track a sample, a batch of samples, or batches through its lifecycle