Lab Information Systems (LIS systems) have made medical lab work much more efficient and organized, both for patient care ad for research. While the systems have not made pencil and paper obsolete, they have provided a boost to efficiency in collecting, managing and disseminating data. Different products have different capabilities and specialties, but all will have at least some functionality on each of those three key areas.
Collecting Data
LIS systems offer a simple way to create records, manage specimens and record results. All data can be entered instantly in a computer, starting with a patient’s basic information and continuing through lab results, notes, and orders. The system will also allow for accountability, tracking who enters data and at what time.
Automatic data entry is also possible through the integration of machines that measure patient data, such as blood pressure cuffs or thermometers. It can also be used to track changes in baseline numbers both with automatic or manual readings as well as actual requests for tests and data collection.
Managing Data
An LIS system, unlike paper records, lends itself easily to data analysis. The data is already in a computer, and you can apply whatever data analytics you wish to it, including several powerful tools that are often included in the system. One of the most important analytics most good systems will provide is the comparison of collected data to a “normal range” so that dangerous or abnormal results can be flagged for further attention.
Disseminating Data
Since an LIS system is computerized, it makes it very easy to share lab data instantly with other labs, hospitals and health care providers. The system can allow you to share portions of a patient’s record or the entire record securely. It can generate easy-to-read reports for patients as well.
Other data can also be exported, such as billing data, which can be used to generate invoices or sent directly to an insurance company. Data can also be exported to a spreadsheet program like Excel to study trends and patterns across multiple patients, as in the case of a clinical study or tracking the spread of a disease.
