Increase Laboratory Productivity with Less Paperwork and a LIMS Class System

There is nothing more costly for an organisation than the loss of valuable time. Laboratories in all industries are focused on achieving results, therefore inefficient processes are a big red flag. And when the flags are red, the company’s balance sheet can also be in the red.

The efficiency of a laboratory depends on potentially lost opportunities, time, resources and personnel. The greatest loss of all, however, occurs when laboratories ignore the incredible potential of technology. The legal environment around us is also playing an increasingly important role. Compliance with regulations is crucial for the success of a laboratory, therefore an organisation that does not keep up with these changes and does not comply with them is exposed to penalties or loss of reputation.

Failure to adapt to changes has its roots in so called paperwork. Its time-consuming nature can have serious consequences for the organisation.

Here is how we can address this.

Paperwork – the old guard

I would like to take a moment to precisely define the problem of paperwork. It is worth noting that carrying out manual tasks has its price. The cost here is primarily the employee’s hourly wage.

The physical resources needed for manual work are materials as well as storage and archiving devices. This in turn leads to waste disposal costs. When creating or disposing of paper documentation, a “paper trail” is often left behind.

Documentation without appropriate protection is also exposed to inspection by unauthorised persons. Therefore, it is necessary to remember to secure it. This rule also applies to document sharing, where management should store copies in a secure place that is accessible only to selected persons.

How does the digital revolution improve laboratory productivity?

Laboratory Information Management Software (LIMS) is a digital solution whose purpose is to reduce the paperwork described above.

The tool provides a range of measures that improve productivity, from data registration and processing to their storage, presentation and security. I will now analyse its functionalities case by case.

Planning and forecasting

• On paper

Manual work involves forecasting using many different sources of information. This can potentially be labour intensive and inefficient. In addition, it requires coordination with many people, which in turn may mean the need to organise numerous face to face meetings.

As a climax, it is necessary to carry out a final verification. This can also be labour intensive.

• Digital, intelligent solutions

Thanks to predictive analytics in LIMS, you can make immediate and comprehensive forecasts based on consolidated datasets. These insights help not only to save time but also to drive operational efficiency at the executive level.

• Laboratory management

Cooperation with internal and external stakeholders using digital systems is easier. Management can ensure the best possible scientific practices by using support for laboratory instruments. An additional advantage of the LIMS system is the ready to use performance metrics.

Analysis, monitoring and storage

• On paper

Manual calculations, data entry and their graphical presentation are labour intensive and time consuming. Printed information must be stored in selected data sheets in specific locations. To carry out monitoring and diagnostics, the physical presence of analysts is often required.

• Asset management

Digital graphical representations, called “Asset Utilization Dashboards”, provide specialised metrics concerning key components in the laboratory. This web based software allows users to plan resources from any location. Access to data is secure for authorised users, such as laboratory employees and management, and is even possible via mobile devices or tablets.

• Real time monitoring and diagnostics

LIMS offers a range of quality control and data monitoring mechanisms. Its other diagnostic functions include status updates and immediate real time analyses, as well as simplified data transfer and the collection of telemetry information.

Security and protection

• On paper

Protecting paper documentation requires special care. Keeping records of authorised persons can be a process requiring a large amount of work, as can ensuring the integrity of information. Physical copies of laboratory test results may be at risk when being shared and transferred.

• With digitalisation

Secure data transfer is the foundation of a LIMS system. Notable security features include comprehensive data audits and vulnerability assessments. Data integrity tests assess the possibility of data breaches and, at the request of management, can flag any data access requests. In addition, they allow penetration tests to be carried out in terms of data security.

All sudden changes in the properties of the product are signalled immediately, informing stakeholders of the need to take appropriate actions and precautions. This can help prevent accidents.

Workflow optimisation

• On paper

Workplace audits require manual assessment of employees as well as analysis of samples and datasets concerning the workplace. Depending on the size of the organisation and its operations, this can be an extensive undertaking.

• LIMS laboratory data and workflow

Workflows in laboratories can be very efficient. Thanks to immediate reports and key information on laboratory samples, data can be accessed at any time.

Product and data integrity

• On paper

To ensure the highest possible data quality, laboratory employees should ensure that data is updated in the face of a constantly changing regulatory environment. Information must therefore reflect these changes. In such a case, organisations should reserve time to carry out this process.

• LIMS implementation

Despite changing regulations, LIMS performs automatic updates of relevant data, ensuring systematic compliance regardless of sudden reforms.

Quality control

• On paper

Verification of laboratory test results often requires reviewing the entire process. Product traceability would therefore be possible thanks to manually searching physical documentation. This includes sources, ingredients and compounds. Internal and external audits are particularly time consuming, because they often require devoting a large amount of time to analysing printed documents.

For identification, separate calculations and analyses must be carried out. Product test failures or extreme values must then be compared with an established trend. Quality control (QC) also takes place in paper form. This carries the risk that any spelling errors or typos may have a significant impact on audits, calculations and further steps.

• Digital QA/QC

LIMS displays complete and transparent documentation throughout the entire product manufacturing process. Immediate analysis makes it easy to identify anomalies and product defects thanks to automated QC tests during production.

External audits are streamlined, with a huge improvement in the speed of work. LIMS is the first and last point of data entry, which makes it easier to manage the integrity of information in the QC area.

Success stories – examples of document digitisation in the laboratory

Paper based procedures are not outdated processes. These are tried and tested methods, which is why some laboratories still rely on paper documentation to this day. However, in the face of greater possibilities offered by digital labtech solutions, laboratories have the opportunity to become even more efficient.

When companies replace paper based work with digital solutions, the result is an increase in efficiency. Below we present just some notable examples.

Major European food and dairy producer

Thanks to full process automation, this retailer improved performance and product quality without the need for manual intervention. Thanks to data analysis and continuous improvements, production optimisation and time savings were also possible.

European Government Ministry – food and agriculture

A centralised database facilitated access, analysis and reporting of variables. This was accompanied by streamlined data processing, including an 80% reduction in manual transcription.

Digital future – your future

Laboratory digitalisation is the key to an efficient, compliant and financially profitable future. Paper work is tried and tested, but its time consumption and susceptibility to errors make it an archaic method.

Manual data management is also financially discouraging for organisations. That is why automation is so important and necessary. By eliminating paperwork, LIMS provides laboratories with a competitive advantage and, in some cases, is a survival tool.

Stakeholders at every level of involvement in the laboratory can benefit from digitalisation. Management and technicians, as well as senior managers, can expect enormous benefits. Thanks to universal access, data security and transparent analysis, LIMS appears to provide a promising future.