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| A LIMS can have an extravagant list of features, or it may have minimal functionality. Experienced software developers usually do well to include a collection of the essential features, as well as any industry-specific features a laboratory may need. However, not all developers get it right. A generic development approach to a clinical diagnostic or research LIMS may not suffice, given that workflows and regulatory requirements may differ across the various clinical care and research laboratory subtypes.
| | Before arriving on the LIMS that fits your laboratory’s needs, you’ll need to conduct some planning and research. The planning phase involves assessing the lab’s goals, regulations, capabilities, workflows and budget, while also ensuring strong buy-in from management. The research phase involves determining what solutions are available, who is developing and supporting them, and what their reputation and experience is. |
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| What follows is a list of system functionality that is considered by a variety of laboratory experts<ref name="APHLLab19">{{cite web |url=https://www.aphl.org/aboutAPHL/publications/Documents/GH-2019May-LIS-Guidebook-web.pdf |format=PDF |title=Laboratory Information Systems Project Management: A Guidebook for International Implementations |author=Association of Public Health Laboratories |publisher=APHL |date=May 2019 |accessdate=18 November 2021}}</ref><ref name="KyobeSelecting17">{{cite journal |title=Selecting a Laboratory Information Management System for Biorepositories in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: The H3Africa Experience and Lessons Learned |journal=Biopreservation and Biobanking |author=Kyobe, S.; Musinguzi, H.; Lwanga, N. et al. |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=111–15 |year=2017 |doi=10.1089/bio.2017.0006 |pmc=PMC5397240}}</ref><ref name="ListEffic14">{{cite journal |title=Efficient sample tracking with OpenLabFramework |journal=Scientific Reports |author=List, M.; Schmidt, S.; Trojnar, J. et al. |volume=4 |pages=4278 |year=2014 |doi=10.1038/srep04278 |pmid=24589879 |pmc=PMC3940979}}</ref><ref name="APILISTool13">{{cite web |url=https://www.pathologyinformatics.org/toolkit.php |title=LIS Functionality Assessment Toolkit |author=Splitz, A.R.; Balis, U.J.; Friedman, B.A. et al. |publisher=Association for Pathology Informatics |date=20 September 2013 |accessdate=18 November 2021}}</ref> to be vital to almost any clinical diagnostic or research laboratory. Without this functionality, end users may have to do more work, and the laboratory may have major liability issues by not complying with regulations. If the system you are evaluating doesn't contain most of the below bullet-pointed functionality, you may want to look elsewhere.
| | You may bring to this research a high set of expectations based upon your lab’s initial planning. However, reality may prove slightly different. You research may turn up an ideal LIMS, but you discover you’re not enamored with the vendor of the LIMS, or vice versa. From this initial research your lab may realize it needs to make a few compromises regarding the vendor, the ideal solution or both. That’s not to say you won’t be able to find a best-in-class solution offered by a developer with competitive rates and a strong track record of success in your industry. Rather, understand that your lab’s wish list of features, extensibility, pricing and excellent service across both a vendor and their solution may not necessarily be fulfilled with every LIMS option you examine. It may take some effort to find the right combination of the two; however, when you do, it will surely be worth the effort! |
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| '''Test, experiment and patient management'''
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| * Specimen log-in and management, with support for unique IDs.
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| * Batching support.
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| * Barcode and RFID support.
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| * Specimen tracking.
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| * Clinical decision support, including test ordering tools and duplicate test checks.
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| * Custom test management.
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| * Event and instrument scheduling.
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| * Templates, forms and data fields that are configurable.
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| * Analytical tools, including data visualization, trend analysis and data mining tools.
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| * Data import and export.
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| * Robust query tools.
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| * Document and image management.
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| * Project and experiment management.
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| * Workflow management.
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| * Patient management.
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| * Case management.
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| * Physician and supplier management.
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| '''Quality, security and compliance'''
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| * Quality assurance / quality control mechanisms, including tracking of nonconformance.
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| * Data normalization and validation.
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| * Results review and approval.
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| * Version control.
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| * User qualification, performance and training management.
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| * Audit trails and chain of custody support.
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| * Configurable and granular role-based security.
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| * Configurable system access and use (log-in requirements, account usage rules, account locking, etc.).
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| * Electronic signature support.
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| * Configurable alarms and alerts.
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| * Data encryption and secure communication protocols.
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| * Data archiving and retention support.
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| * Configurable data backups.
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| * Environmental monitoring and control.
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| '''Operations management and reporting'''
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| * Customizable rich-text reporting, with multiple supported output formats.
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| * Synoptic reporting.
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| * Industry-compliant labeling.
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| * Email integration.
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| * Internal messaging system.
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| * Revenue management.
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| * Instrument interfacing and data management.
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| * Instrument calibration and maintenance tracking.
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| * Inventory and reagent management.
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| * Third-party software and database interfacing.
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| * Mobile device support.
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| * Voice recognition capability.
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| * Results portal for external parties.
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| * Integrated (or online) system help.
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| * Configurable language.
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| ==References==
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| {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
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Before arriving on the LIMS that fits your laboratory’s needs, you’ll need to conduct some planning and research. The planning phase involves assessing the lab’s goals, regulations, capabilities, workflows and budget, while also ensuring strong buy-in from management. The research phase involves determining what solutions are available, who is developing and supporting them, and what their reputation and experience is.
You may bring to this research a high set of expectations based upon your lab’s initial planning. However, reality may prove slightly different. You research may turn up an ideal LIMS, but you discover you’re not enamored with the vendor of the LIMS, or vice versa. From this initial research your lab may realize it needs to make a few compromises regarding the vendor, the ideal solution or both. That’s not to say you won’t be able to find a best-in-class solution offered by a developer with competitive rates and a strong track record of success in your industry. Rather, understand that your lab’s wish list of features, extensibility, pricing and excellent service across both a vendor and their solution may not necessarily be fulfilled with every LIMS option you examine. It may take some effort to find the right combination of the two; however, when you do, it will surely be worth the effort!
