Up until now, laboratories have been storing and managing their operational data using spreadsheets, handheld documents, and notebooks among other legacy formats. The downside of using manual tools is that it takes a toll on your productivity and earns you pink slips when you accidentally lose data or make analytical errors. After all, we all make mistakes!
When you can manage multiple projects, the time taken to correctly and completely record the data of a particular sample test is humongous. Managing data manually, poses a threat to your lab’s credibility and hurts your brand value in the long run as the number of reported errors increase.
With the advent of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) and related tools available online, you can proficiently manage data pertaining to your lab’s day-to-day lab activities and respective assignments. Such software tools help you securely store information related to your clients, samples, tests, lab inventory, and equipment, and also generate and share test result reports within an acceptable turnaround time.
How Exactly does a LIMS Increase Your Lab’s Productivity?
- A LIMS is a software system that helps with laboratory operations such as data management, workflow automation, audit management, barcode sampling, chain of custody, customer relationship management, document management, instrument calibration and maintenance, inventory tracking, manual and electronic data entry, method management, personnel and workload management, quality assurance and control, staff competency and performance assessment, data mining, and invoicing.
- Besides managing the lab operations, a LIMS also helps analytical testing laboratories to meet regulatory compliance including ISO 17025:2017, ISO 9001:2015, GLP/GALP, 21 CFR Part 11 and state regulatory requirements. This, in turn, increases the lab’s efficiency and yield along with minimizing the expenditure and time taken to successfully complete a project.
- LIMS can be utilized by industries such as Biorepository, Cannabis, Food & Beverage, Clinical, Environmental, or any other analytical testing labs.
Also, a LIMS can be configured according to a lab’s specific workflow; it is handy to get one implemented in your lab right since the first day of its operation.
Advantages of Implementing a LIMS in Your Lab
- You can identify and locate any specific information across modules by querying the system and eliminating tedious manual recording of data.
- You can keep track of patient or subject records that are associated with the various samples.
- A LIMS also enables you to track information related to a test performed on different samples.
- Provision of granting/revoking group-based permissions so that a particular user group can access the sample, test, equipment and its storage location assigned to them is also a plus.
- Fast decision making is critical for improved business transactions. Another requirement is meeting customer expectations by providing service at par with the industry standards.
What can FreeLIMS do for Your Lab?
- FreeLIMS is a software used for centralizing laboratory’s operational workflows and is sample centric and not patient-centric. The data it processes or analyzes includes large batches of complex sample data from drug trials, biological testing, water treatment facilities, etc.
- FreeLIMS is specifically designed for researchers, technicians and laboratory managers across all industries, including biobanks, clinical research, and diagnostics, testing, food and beverage, cannabis, oil and gas, petrochemical, water, agricultural and environmental laboratories.
Benefits of FreeLIMS
- Gives you the ability to accession a sample and track and upload its test results.
- Lets you generate and associate different barcodes for different sample types and lab inventory.
- Alerts you in the case of sample expiration.
- Lets you configure and share test reports.
- Reduces overall operational cost and improves efficiency.
- Is configurable based on your requirements.
- Requires little hardware and software to be installed locally, making set-up quick and lowering the cost of ownership.
So there you have it, an introduction to the limitless possibilities that help you grow your lab operations using the latest tech and practically provide a great deal of automation and up-market services to your clients!
To get this tool, go ahead and sign-up on freelims.org.