More than a convenience, your laboratory information system is the centerpiece of your lab. From inventory and test results to reports and billing, each person who uses the system has a different perspective on what it needs to do. Here are some important features you should look for when considering which system is right for your situation.
Standard Features
Regardless of the size and specific function of your lab, a system with these features will help modernize your operation:
* Login/Order Entry
* Results Entry
* Instrument Interfacing
* Reference Laboratory Interfacing
* Billing Interface
Flexibility
It’s important to implement a laboratory information system that will grow and adapt to your needs. You want to make sure that the system is not only easy to use, but also that it’s easily expandable. Your system should process the rare exception as seamlessly as it processes the average function. As your lab grows, and your services become more advanced, so should your system for managing all the lab data.
Customer Service
When you have a question or require an immediate programming change, you need to know that you have a support team that will respond. You need access to those experts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. As important as it is understood the system, make sure you also understand how much and what kind of customer support you will receive from the company once the system is implemented.
Compliance
Part of running an efficient and profitable lab is maintaining compliance with all the various rules and regulations from a range of agencies. Without a system in place to monitor and keep current with policy changes, you could quickly have an administrative nightmare on your hands. You want a system that includes features to keep you compliant with all HIPAA/CMS updates.
The healthcare environment is constantly changing. If your lab is going to meet the challenge of keeping up with it, you need complete laboratory data management. You need a laboratory information system that is easy to use, adaptable, offers you around-the-clock support, and can keep you compliant with the latest industry regulations.
