The Laboratory Information Management System – A Simple Solution Delivering Powerful Results
“A Simple Solution Delivering Powerful Results”
Author: Randy A. Bell
Senior Operations Manager
LabLite LLC
The purpose of this article is to examine the benefit or value a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) can bring to your organization. We have all heard the adage “Time is Money”. In the business world, where bean-counters rule, this simple statement must be embraced if you want to continue to succeed. Time is the fixed or consistent part of the equation. Productivity, or how we use that time, is the variable. So how does a LIMS figure into this equation?
A good LIMS adds value to an organization in a number of ways. For purposes of this article, we will examine LIMS throughout a business “life-cycle”. We will start with the decision to acquire a LIMS. Someone in the organization, hopefully more than one person, recognizes that the existing processes are lacking in some way. This could be for a variety of reasons; manual instead or automated, older technology, home grown system without support, lack of training, inefficiencies, too time-consuming etc… Ultimately, the decision is made to research vendors and their products.
More often than not, the decision to purchase a LIMS is going to involve more than one group of individuals in a given organization. The lab guys (generic for guys and gals) will need to work with the IT folks, and maybe a purchasing rep. Unfortunately, in most cases companies make this part of the process more complicated than it needs to be. I’ve seen organizations spend weeks, even months preparing lengthy requirements documents when the solution they needed could be installed and up and running in a few days. The bottom line is to evaluate your requirements. What is it that you want the system to do for you; where’s the value?
I once worked for a company that produced software products with “multiple features” (short for extra bells and whistles). I remember one such product had over fifty (50) functions the operators could perform. Unfortunately, customer surveys showed that 80% of our customers used the same four (4) features, with the remaining 20% using one or two more of the remaining 45 plus features. So, why did this company try to be all things to all people? It’s simple, keeping up with the competition, wanting the most current technology, wanting to be a value added provider. But, were they really? As a culture we have a tendency to want the latest and greatest, we want to keep up with the Jones’s, but as an acquirer of a business solution ……is this really prudent?
In this particular example, the model did not work. Design, programming, and engineering costs were higher, internal and external documentation and training costs were higher, web and call center support costs were also higher. Ultimately, the price of the product was high, the sales force didn’t understand the bells and whistles, and customers were paying for unused features. Unfortunately, our industry is no different than most. There are plenty of vendors ready to sell you features and services you don’t need. The bottom line is, you can save time and money by defining your requirements, and by knowing and getting what you need.
A technique to help you in selecting the correct vendor is to establish an evaluation form. This form can be a simple list of your requirements, typically separated by category, and your evaluation criteria. Each category is usually weighted or given a certain percentage value. For example, how well the LIMS handles sample login 15%, reporting 10%, cost 25% etc… In order to compare apples to apples, each vendor should be evaluated using the same criteria. One of the best ways to evaluate vendors is to request a product demo. Most vendors can provide either a web-based or on-site demo, or both. The web-demo is an excellent way to pre-qualify vendors. Be prepared to ask questions, and to be shown how each particular LIMS handles your requirements.
Once you have made your vendor selection you need to prepare for on-site installation and training. Getting the right people and equipment together, at the appropriate times and locations, can sometimes be a challenge. Obviously, the LIMS installation and training is important. In order to get the most value you need to be willing to commit the required time and resources. The more time you commit to training and hands on practice with the new system the better your personnel should be able to use it, and the fewer support calls they should need to make.
When planning training sessions, remember your target audience and the tasks they perform. System administrators, managers, plant operators, and lab personnel all have their own training requirements based on how they will be expected to interact with the system. On the vendor side of the equation, they need to respect and be sensitive to your time. The installation should cause minimal disruption to your existing workflow. If you work multiple shifts, they should work to accommodate your schedule. Additionally, they should be able to tailor training to the target audience, and above all, be flexible.
After the product has been installed, you are in essence still evaluating the product. The performance period, usually 30-60 days, allows you the opportunity to use the product “live” or in a “beta” mode. You should recognize that this could be a period of skepticism and uncertainty. Most people don’t embrace change. You will be dealing with people learning new skills, potentially new processes, and maybe even apprehension about their future roles. Your acceptance, and commitment to making it work can go a long way to ensuring a successful implementation. You should expect the bulk of your support calls to take place during this period. The vendor should be responsive to your needs and handle your requests in a timely and efficient manner.
At this stage of the process there is one major pitfall you should be cautioned against: making major program changes. Often referred to a “scope creep” it can be extremely disruptive and costly. You just trained folks one way and now you want to do something differently. Ensuring everyone is properly informed and communicated with is another concern. The potential costs of incremental changes should also be considered. My recommendation is to use the product as originally specified and installed, and ensure it works the way you want.
Minimizing the “wouldn’t it be nice if”, especially after the fact, is a good idea. If you decide you want additional functionality or capabilities, address those as a separate consideration. A simple example of this is instrument interface. Getting a LIMS to initially handle your sample tracking and results history could be followed with instrument interface as a “Phase II” project. This also allows you to spread your capital expenditures out over multiple months or years. One area of “scope creep” that is fairly common is reports. As you start to use the system, and better understand its capabilities, you may find yourself wanting to track different types of data or have a need to generate new reports. Your LIMS may have some ability to generate reports or you may need to go back to your vendor for assistance. Minor report changes are a normal expectation of good customer support. New reports should be viewed as new billable work. One caution about reports; be prepared for some give and take, back and forth until you are satisfied. The most important consideration here is that the correct data get mapped to the correct location. Again, the better prepared you are, the easier it will be for someone to meet your expectations.
So, what should your expectations be throughout the life of the product? In addition to consistent and reliable performance, you should expect some return on your investment. You should expect continued time saving and increased productivity. You should expect, if you are paying for it, ongoing technical support. This is one area worthy of additional discussion. Support costs vary by vendor, and should be considered when evaluating total systems cost. Some vendors also require you to renew licenses. This can significantly drive up overall systems costs.
Maintaining an annual “software” support contract is a sound investment. Piece of mind is an intangible, but real value. An annual support plan should entitle you to continued unlimited technical support, minor software upgrades, and feature enhancements. You should not expect it to include major version upgrades or operating system changes, although these may be offered to existing customers at a discounted rate. From a vendors’ perspective, they want a satisfied customer. They may request you act as a reference during future bids. This can be as simple as a phone call or letter, or may include an on-site visit by a prospective client. If you are satisfied with the product, and the support you have received, you should be willing to do this.
The final stage in the life cycle is obsolescence. This can be caused by new technology, major changes in your business scope or volume etc… I would suggest you stay with programs based on common operating systems and applications instead of independent or proprietary software. The vendor you select should keep pace with changes in technology, and should be poised to meet your changing needs and requirements.
About the Author: Randy A. Bell is the Senior Operations Manager at LabLite LLC, a multi-disciplined, Connecticut based, LIMS software development company. He can be reached at rbell@lablite.com or by calling toll free at 1-888-954-5483.
