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Now that the demonstrations have been conducted and more questions asked, you should be close to finalizing your requirement specifications with one ore more vendors. In fact, you may have taken LIMSpec, chosen a few critical requirements from it, added them to a few unique requirements of your own, and included them as part of an RFI or question and answer session with vendors. You then likely took those responses and added them to your wider overall specification (e.g., LIMSpec), along with your own notes and observations from interacting with the vendor. This may have been repeated for several vendors and their offerings.
{{Laboratory Informatics Buyer's Guide for Medical Diagnostics and Research/Closing remarks}}
 
At this point, you're likely ready to either have those vendors complete the rest of the responses for their corresponding URS, or you may even be ready to narrow down your vendor selection. This all likely depends on what the initial fact finding revealed. How well did the vendors respond to your laboratory's unique set of needs? Were there critical areas that one vendor could address with their off-the-shelf solution but another vendor would have to address with custom coding? Did any of the vendors meet your budget expectations? Have you followed up on any references and customer experiences the vendors provided to you?
 
It may be that several vendors are appealing at this point, meaning it's time to have them respond to the rest of the URS. This makes not only for good due diligence, to better ensure most requirements can be met, but also a reviewable option for any "tie-breaker" you have between vendors. In reality, this tie-breaker scenario would rarely come up; more often, some other aspect of the software, company, or pricing will be a stronger limiter. However, you still want to get all those vendor responses, even if you've early on filtered your options down to one vendor.
 
Ultimately, your specification document may look similar to the LIMSpec, or it may have a slightly different format. Many prospective buyers will develop a requirement specification in Microsoft Excel, but that has a few minor disadvantages. Regardless of format, you'll want to give plenty of space for vendors to submit a response to each requirement. For your convenience, a Microsoft Word version of Appendix 1's LIMSpec for medical diagnostics and research labs is also included as part of this guide (see A1.8 LIMSpec in Microsoft Word format). That document is editable, giving end users and vendors the flexibility to remove information and enlarge columns.
 
Additionally, remember that often is the case that after the URS is completed and final questions asked, no single vendor can meet all your needs. Be ready for this possibility, whether it be a functionality requirement or a budget issue. Know ahead of time where your laboratory is willing to be flexible, and how much flex you have. After all of your lab's preparation, and with a little luck, you've found a vendor that fits the bill, even if a few minor compromises had to be made along the way.




==Citation information for this chapter==
==Citation information for this chapter==
'''Chapter''': 6. Taking the next step
'''Chapter''': 7. Closing remarks


'''Title''': ''Laboratory Informatics Buyer's Guide for Medical Diagnostics and Research''
'''Title''': ''Laboratory Informatics Buyer's Guide for Medical Diagnostics and Research''
Line 17: Line 9:
'''Edition''': 2022 Edition
'''Edition''': 2022 Edition


'''Author for citation''': Shawn E. Douglas and Alan Vaughan
'''Author for citation''': Shawn E. Douglas


'''License for content''': [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International]
'''License for content''': [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International]

Revision as of 19:22, 22 January 2022

7. Closing remarks

CSIRO ScienceImage 11169 CSIRO scientist.jpg

Selecting and implementing a solution such as a laboratory information system (LIS) or laboratory information management system (LIMS) for your medical diagnostic or research laboratory can be an intimidating task, whether its the laboratory's first solution or a follow-up solution. Additional concerns about the functionality and ease-of-use of such systems also persist. According to a 2016 survey by technology specialist Astrix, the most common complaints were that "LIMS were perceived to be difficult to use and lacked integration with other systems," with respondents indicating the primary reason for purchasing a new solution being their overall dissatisfaction with an existing system.[1]

A case can be made that some vendors aren't clear or honest about the functionality of their system, contributing to this end-user unhappiness. However, a more common reality is that poor requirements management is also at least partially responsible for project failure.[2] This guide has attempted to not only provide practical advice towards system selection and implementation, but it has also emphasized the real value your organization can gain from taking a methodical approach to choosing the best system for your needs via proper requirements management. In fact, according to the Project Management Institute, "for every dollar spent on projects and programs, 5.1 percent is wasted due to poor requirements management."[2] It's tough to deny that system acquisition and implementation is definitively a project, so why waste dollars by not being prepared?

This guide has looked at the various laboratories in the medical diagnostic and research fields, their technology requirements, the functionality required in the systems they implement, and how best to go about acquiring those systems, particularly ones that are flexible in their configurability. The guide also notes the value of considering cybersecurity during decision making, a concern that will only continue to grow for the laboratory industry. You've also been given many tools to apply to your selection and implementation processes, including vendor lists and information sources. The LIMSpec, a pre-developed user requirements specification document is also discussed, including how it can be best applied to ensure your laboratory's success. Don't forget that in Appendix 1 you'll also find a blank version of LIMSpec for clinical diagnostic and research labs, including a downloadable Microsoft Word version.

In the end, your medical lab wants to succeed in its mission of providing the best analytical and research services towards improving overall human and animal health. It's increasingly clear that one or more laboratory informatics solutions can help with achieving that goal. Be reminded that such software is still just a tool, granted, one with which your lab can better manage testing, more closely follow regulations and standards, improve operational efficiency, and guarantee better patient outcomes. However, like any tool, picking the most suitable one for the job, and implementing it effectively and securely, is vital. We hope this guide will help you in picking the solution that best helps your organization meet its short- and long-term goals.

References

  1. ↑ "2016 LIMS Market Research Survey Report" (PDF). Astrix Technology Group, Inc. 2017. http://vertassets.blob.core.windows.net/download/a43a4bdc/a43a4bdc-bfed-4d4b-b8b9-b0ba6d42f786/lims_market_research_survey_summary.pdf. Retrieved 04 December 2021. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bieg, D.P. (August 2014). "Introduction" (PDF). Requirements Management: A Core Competency for Project and Program Success. Project Management Institute. p. 3. https://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/learning/thought-leadership/pulse/requirements-management.pdf. Retrieved 04 December 2021. 


Citation information for this chapter

Chapter: 7. Closing remarks

Title: Laboratory Informatics Buyer's Guide for Medical Diagnostics and Research

Edition: 2022 Edition

Author for citation: Shawn E. Douglas

License for content: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Publication date: January 2022


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