TrendsininLIS
POCT
Trends
O
ver the last several years, healthcare has often been referred to as “the last frontier” for IT. The proliferation of
large hospital systems, which embrace patient care from A to Z, has required the consolidation of information
management among frequently disparate segments. Add to the burgeoning healthcare entities the diminishing
supply of medical laboratory technologists along with the medical privacy demanded by HIPAA. The result is an exciting
challenge to those vendors whose business it is to connect a variety of dissimilar IT elements and provide seamless data
solutions among hospitals, laboratories, pharmacies, and physicians. Here are the viewpoints about the future trends for
laboratory information systems (LISs) from executives thoroughly versed in this segment of the marketplace.
Enterprise-wide solutions
Producing more refined reports
Middleware solutions
“Hospital laboratories are increasingly using LISs to automate the routine steps inherent in the daily workflow. The rising use
of automation, necessitated by the shortfall
in qualified staff and tighter
budgets, improves productivity so that technologists
can focus on complex testing and quality assurance.
Another automation trend
is the interfacing of laboratory systems to instruments
such as blood-bank devices and robotics to
address growing test-result volume. The data
is then transmitted to electronic medical
records (EMRs) accessible by clinicians enterprise-wide. We also are seeing more requests for electronic transfer of lab data to
physician-office systems, along with solutions for outreach-program administration
and expanded test menus, including molecular testing, to extend hospital laboratories’
business opportunities.”
Andrew N. Lawson
President of Hospital Systems
Misys Healthcare Systems
Maker of Misys Laboratory,
Commercial Lab, and Optimum
“Today’s pathology laboratory is adopting
more sophisticated techniques and instrumentation — including flow cytometry and
cytogenetics — and, therefore, demands a
more sophisticated information system. The
LIS must support full automation with bidirectional interfaces to a wide range of devices and instruments. It must also deliver a
complete view of the patient’s health by pulling relevant test results from the clinical lab
system or directly from clinical instruments
interfaced to the pathology system. Viewing the clinical results
while reviewing the pathology specimen helps
the pathologist render a
more refined diagnosis,
and producing a patientcentric report helps the
physician determine the
best course of treatment.”
Bob Sage, President/Founder
Psyche Systems Corp.
Maker of WindoPath, LabWeb, and SBB
“Due to factors such as
vendor focus on total computer information systems
(CIS) solutions and the
changing landscape of the
lab, we are seeing the decline of the classic LIS.
Labs today are faced with the complexities
of managing outreach programs, shrinking
IT budgets, and automation. This has led
to the emergence of data managers, or
middleware. These systems serve as the hub
of the new lab, interfacing to instruments
and automation, classic LISs, outreach applications, EMRs, and more. When combined with implementation consulting services, a middleware solution can address the
immediate needs of the lab quickly and cost
effectively.”
Gregory R. Vail, President/CEO
Data Innovations Inc.
Maker of Instrument Manager
Laboratory outreach programs
“We are all aware of the continuing medtech shortages and the fixed inpatient reimbursement for laboratory testing. To reduce the cost per test, hospitals initiate or
expand outreach programs, which require
extensive rules-based automation and outreach capabilities in LIS modules. In addition, new testing protocols, such as molecular and flow cytometry, are
currently being developed
in teaching hospitals. Molecular and flow testing will
be performed in community hospitals in the next
five years and will require
new software that continues to be developed and enhanced.”
Gilbert Hakim
CEO, SCC Soft Computer
Maker of SoftLab, Laboratory Outreach
Suite, SoftMic, SoftPath, SoftBankII,
SoftDonor, SoftGene, SoftETC, and
SoftA/R
www.mlo-online.com
Critical link for data sharing
“Trends in lab system development are driven
by the challenges facing laboratory managers. The age-old challenges — greater productivity, error reduction, personnel shortages, outreach, and increasing revenues —
continue to drive product development.
An example of this is “smart” or “rulesbased” technology, which aids and automates
decision-making. Vendors
are also designing add-on
modules and components
to address new needs the
legacy LIS is unable to
serve. The biggest challenge
facing lab managers today,
however, is the EMR and
the effective electronic integration of data
from one information system to another
within the rest of the health organization or
network. Clinical results is a key component
of the EMR, and the LIS is the link in the
flow of data that makes the interface and integration capabilities of LIS vendors more
critical than ever before.”
Rob Bush, President
Orchard Software Corp.
Maker of Harvest LIS and Copia
Molecular
-diagnostics lab needs
Molecular-diagnostics
“Continued focus on LIS solutions that empower laboratories to fully leverage data,
streamline efficiencies,
positively impact patient
safety, and build business
are key trends. As outreach
growth continues, labs look
to fully automated specimen tracking from the client outreach location to
the lab and beyond. With the advancement
of genomics and personalized medicine, organizations are already demanding solutions
that meet the unique needs of the molecular diagnostics laboratory, including the ability to handle multitudes of genetic data, complex workflows, and extensive protocol and
specimen management. Comprehensive LIS
solutions that enable full leveraging of data,
infusion of knowledge, and seamless integration with the EMR ultimately best enable
laboratories to positively impact patient outcomes and build marketplace advantage.” Michael Muirhead, Managing Director,
Laboratory Medicine
Cerner Corp.
Maker of PathNet General Laboratory,
PathNet Anatomic Pathology, PathNet Microbiology, and PathNet Outreach Services
MLO
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May 2005
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