Lab Digital Transformation Archives - INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE

Empowering Researchers and Scientists through Lab Digitisation

Sharon Williams — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 17:44:15 +0000

Many of us are familiar with the term digital transformation or digitisation. But how many organisations that are looking at digitalising the lab are actually putting the needs of the scientists and researchers at the heart of their digital transformation strategy? After all, without their buy-in and adoption any new systems and processes you implement are unlikely to be successful. Or at least not as successful as you’d hoped. Change in any environment is unsettling. It also requires effort – and not just from those overseeing and driving the changes. So, when it comes to lab digitisation placing the emphasis on delivering improvements to empower scientists may help ease the introduction and adoption of new technologies, processes, and practices. Understanding what to digitise The first step on the digital transformation journey is to understand what you do and how you work. Importantly, this isn’t yet about how you’d like to work. Instead, this means watching and listening to those working in the lab. Try to avoid digitising an ineffective process that could be improved by simply changing the process. Digitising inefficient processes doesn’t suddenly make them better. They’ll be just as bad, possibly worse. The only difference is you’ve spent […]

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Turn your data into insight quickly and easily with Achiever Medical LIMS analytics and data visualisation

John Nicholls — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 10:23:51 +0000

Turn your data into insight quickly and easily with Achiever Medical LIMS analytics and data visualisation Most laboratory information management systems (LIMS) give you some method for querying your data. Some advanced solutions provide data visualisation tools so you can display your data using graphics and gauges. While others simply allow you to run a query across your data set to return a list of matching records. Knowing how a LIMS delivers analytics does make a difference and makes an impact in terms of costs, time, resource and security. In Achiever Medical LIMS you can create real-time analytics and dashboards without IT involvement. Achiever Medical LIMS includes a library of integrated, real-time, interactive dashboards and an easy to use query builder to generate lists. It also supports 3rd party reporting tools such as Power BI and Crystal Reports. Arming you with a wealth of valuable insight from checking your lab’s performance to tracking productivity and monitoring compliance. Giving you that all important evidence for audits as well as underpinning your lab’s digital transformation. You can create analytics whenever you need them – without IT support What’s more, its integrated dashboards and queries automatically invoke any data security restrictions so only […]

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Why Your Lab Data is Essential in Digital Transformation

Sharon Williams — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 17:32:44 +0000

Data – you can’t work with it and you definitely can’t work without it. Today’s labs generate large volumes of data. You can spend hours entering information and even longer trying to find and decipher it. Working with data is seen by many as a necessary evil – something that’s just part of the job. Which is why for many labs – large and small – spreadsheets are still their primary data management tool. But data is the lifeblood of every laboratory and an essential component of digital transformation. Every day you’re making decisions based on your data – or lack of it (usually referred to as ‘gut feel’). As a result, your data can cost you money or help you save it depending on its quality and how you use it. This is no different when it comes to defining your digital transformation strategy. Contrary to what many may believe, digital transformation isn’t just about buying the latest equipment and software or moving all your systems to the cloud. That’s only a small part of it. It’s about reviewing your processes and how you work and then leveraging technology to help you make improvements that will increase your efficiency, […]

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5 Signs your Lab needs a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)

Sharon Williams — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 10:32:09 +0000

Many people start looking for a solution after they’ve just encountered a problem. And it’s the same with a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). Often the question ‘Do we need a LIMS?’ comes as a result of something chaotic or unfortunate happening in the lab. It might be because of a stressful audit inspection that’s taken place or is looming, costly data errors in results, being overwhelmed with paperwork or just fed up with the time it takes to complete processes in the lab. It may surprise you to hear but a LIMS isn’t always the answer. In some instances, the cost of the issue doesn’t justify the investment in a LIMS. But in the case of some regulations where the consequence of non-compliance is a potential jail term then the investment in a LIMS to help you comply could definitely be seen as money well spent. If you’re currently thinking about whether your lab needs a LIMS, don’t wait for the potential consequences of not having one to happen. Here are 5 signs that may help you decide if a LIMS is right for your lab. When you don’t need a LIMS Not every laboratory would benefit from a LIMS. […]

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5 ways a LIMS supports laboratory process improvement

Sharon Williams — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:00:11 +0000

A laboratory information management system (LIMS) can play an essential role in your lab. One that goes beyond sample and lab data management. A LIMS can streamline and optimise your laboratory processes, leading to improvements in productivity, quality and efficiency. What’s more, it also helps you meet regulatory compliance. So, how does it do this? And importantly, what do you need to do to get the most from the system? 1. Manages your existing laboratory processes – but with improvements In many advanced laboratory information management systems, you can configure or customise the software to manage your existing processes. Each system will handle this differently depending on the tools and technology available. As you start mapping your processes into the software you have the opportunity to review them to see where you can make any improvements. Plus, you can see what the software can do to make the process easier for you. The LIMS software can guide you step-by-step through your processes and make sure everyone is completing the same steps for consistency and reproducibility. You can also maximise efficiency and quality by ensuring that these processes are in line with your Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The software makes sure […]

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5 Reasons – other than Compliance – why you should be Auditing your Lab Data

Sharon Williams — Fri, 17 Jul 2020 12:13:58 +0000

Being able to evidence where your samples have come from, what’s happened to them and where they are now is important for regulatory compliance. But that’s not the only reason why you should be auditing your lab data. Being able to see when a sample record was created and who updated the record last allows you to see how old your samples are and if anyone is using them. Tracking this information in a spreadsheet is difficult. And even if you do manage it, it takes time and the accuracy of the data is questionable. A laboratory information management system (LIMS) takes care of auditing for you. Automatically updating the audit trail as you add or modify data in the system. But auditing is not just limited to tracking creation and changed dates. Your audit data can give you valuable insight to help you improve efficiency and quality. What’s more, it can increase confidence in your results and support your decision making. Even helping you to choose which samples are best to use for which type of work. 1. Improving your productivity Most LIMS will have an audit for when a record is last created or changed and include the […]

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Justifying a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)

Sharon Williams — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 08:00:00 +0000

When you’re working with limited resources and budgets it can be difficult to justify buying anything new – let alone an expensive LIMS. Let’s take a new piece of equipment for example. First you have to find what you need then see it in action, chat to reference sites, negotiate a good deal and train team members on it. So, it’s important to know before you embark on this journey why you need it. And crucially what return you’re hoping to get for all your effort and expense. It’s exactly the same when considering new software. None more so than for a laboratory information management system (LIMS). Over the years LIMS have not had the best of reputations. Sometimes it’s taken labs years to go live with a system that’s cost millions. What’s worse is often the software still doesn’t quite do what they need. But with the advent of new LIMS vendors offering more intuitive, web-based and cloud solutions things have changed quite dramatically. Crucially, they enable you to start seeing benefits very quickly. So, if you’re struggling with the volume or accuracy of your data, finding audits and compliance difficult or fed up of spending most of your […]

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How a LIMS can kick start digital transformation in your lab

Sharon Williams — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 16:19:08 +0000

The world as we know it is changing – significantly. None more so than our world of work. Things have definitely changed in the lab whether you’re involved directly with the testing and research efforts for COVID-19 or not. You’ve probably introduced new procedures in line with the updated guidelines from government and public health bodies to ensure social distancing and minimise risk. And you may have changed what you’re working on completely. When implementing new practices and processes many organisations often forget to consider the software that they need to support them. That’s changed with this pandemic. During this time we’ve all had to adapt – and fast. And it is technology that’s been at the forefront of helping people stay connected – and continue with the day job. Getting ready to return to ‘normal’ Let’s face it – it’s probably going to be a little while yet before things feel ‘normal’ again. So, how do you kick start your lab and bounce back stronger than before? One question to ask is how easy it was to adapt your existing software systems so you could continue to work remotely, capture new data, securely share information or even manage your […]

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