White papers

LIMS for Efficiency and Profitability

This white paper outlines what a LIMS does in a laboratory and how a LIMS contributes to a laboratory's efficiency and productivity.

24th August 2020

Picture of cover of white paper - Using a LIMS to improve laboratory efficiency and profitability

This white paper outlines what a LIMS does in a laboratory and how a LIMS contributes to a laboratory's efficiency and productivity. Written from the experience gained through hundreds of successful implementations around the world this white paper provides the knowledge you need to get the most out of your LIMS and to maximize profitability in your laboratory operations.

Many of the learning points can be applied to any LIMS and will therefore help any IT/laboratory professional either adopting a LIMS for the first time or wanting to improve their current laboratory operations through LIMS best practice.

In this white paper you will learn:

  • The basic functions in all good LIMS
  • The productivity advantages of mapping a LIMS to your particular work flow
  • Extending the LIMS to further increase efficiency
  • Addressing unique requirements by using a flexible LIMS
  • Using a LIMS to drive laboratory management

Preview extract

Using a LIMS to Improve Laboratory Efficiency and Profitability

Introduction

The concept of profitability may be self-evident for contract laboratories or those laboratories that exist as a cost center within their own organization. However all laboratories should be able to identify with the objective of delivering a cost-effective service. An inefficient or expensive to run laboratory might prompt a parent organization to consider relieving themselves of the overhead and outsourcing laboratory testing. The prime function of all laboratories is to carry out analytical testing on the samples that they receive and report those results back to the person/organization who submitted the sample.

It sounds very straightforward, but the passage of the sample through the laboratory can generate vast amounts of data. Tracking samples and associated test data and using that data to generate certificates of analysis and reports is critical in managing and optimizing laboratory efficiency and hence profitability. Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) are available to manage the laboratory workflow and organize this data efficiently. While this alone can improve laboratory efficiency and productivity, LIMS can go much further...