Considerations in Selecting a LIMS
Presented by Christine Paszko
Accelerated Technologies Laboratories
Thursday, November 11, 2021 ◉ 12:00 PM EST
Cost: Free
Considerations in Selecting a LIMS (No Longer a 4 Letter Word)
ABSTRACT: Laboratories are under increased pressure to do more and more with fewer resources all in a climate of increased regulatory oversight. Main solutions to address this challenge include hiring more resources and training them or implementing a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and automation. For many laboratories, automation is the key to addressing these challenges in that it facilitates improved resource utilization, giving highly trained knowledge workers the tools that they need to effectively perform their job. A LIMS can bring clarity to an analytical laboratory that this software system is managing many different tasks from sample management, sample tracking, data entry to instrument integration, to analysts training, instrument management and calibration, final result reports, document management, sample disposal, chemical and reagent inventory along with full traceability and more. It is clear that not every laboratory will utilize the same feature and functions, however, it is important to understand the entire scope of what the LIMS package offers, as many laboratories will select a system that they can grow into. The first step that should be executed before looking at any system is a gap analysis/needs assessment to fully understand where the laboratory pain points are and once this is complete, it should be followed by gathering and documenting individual requirements for each section. This way, moving forward, the laboratory has a checklist to evaluate systems against. As technology continues to evolve, there are now many deployment options of the various commercial LIMS, either web based or on-premises deployment or clients can host the solution in their own cloud. IT will play an important role is determining which option is best for the organization and is in line with their corporate strategy. In addition, the IT team will also be interested in the reporting tool options as they are often tasked with not only supporting the solution but assisting in report creation. It will also be important to include stakeholder from finance as they will most likely be interested in the workflow for billing as well as integration with their accounting system. This presentation will cover the key steps in preparing for and selecting a LIMS solution for your organization along with a summary of the key benefits that can be expected with the correct system is implemented.
About Christine Paszko
Dr. Paszko is the Sr. Vice President at Accelerated Technology Laboratories, Inc. a LIMS, laboratory automation and informatics firm. With an undergraduate degree in Medical Technology (MT ASCP), with a minor in Microbiology from the State University of New York @ Buffalo. She attended the University of Maryland for her PhD, in Molecular Microbiology with an emphasis in infectious diseases and informatics. These tools enhance data quality, facilitate regulatory compliance, increase productivity, and efficiency, along with the ability to improve overall laboratory data. She has co-authored a book on LIMS, and authored over 5 dozen scientific and LIMS and informatics articles in peer reviewed journals.
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