Selecting lab software: Are you asking the right questions?

As consumers, we have developed a habit of purchasing products with features that fix the symptoms we are experiencing – an approach that often impacts our business choices too. But when it comes to solving laboratory challenges, we need to start by fully understanding the problem we’re trying to solve and the opportunities we want to harness. Key to this is answering the ‘why’ questions. For every feature or capability we want, every problem we encounter, every opportunity we see, asking why it matters allows us to hone our understanding of what a great, future-proof solution for laboratory looks like.

Feature-led purchasing limits your laboratory’s potential

It is often tempting to skip from problem to remedy the surface issues without addressing the underlying cause. A tension headache might be temporarily fixed with pain relief, for example, but unless we address the root cause of the tension, that pain will likely reoccur.

When it comes to selecting software products for laboratories, if a lab focuses only on fixing the most pressing pain points, such as staff shortages or complex workflows, it may well purchase a product that solves those problems, but it risks missing out on solving a much broader range of challenges and capitalizing on opportunities.

Feature-led buying narrows our focus on fixing the issues we know about and ticking the requirements we have already identified. But even then, a suite of features does not automatically translate into the full range benefits you might expect. And what about the longer-term view? The capabilities of LIMS and LIS systems have advanced exponentially in recent years. We have already witnessed a rapid expansion in the requirements of laboratories across all sectors, and a much greater understanding of the role of testing, data integrity and analytics in tackling global health and safety issues. So how do we fix the problems of today while anticipating the needs of tomorrow?

Why a software solution is a better choice

The better approach is to start with the outcomes you seek and work back from there – a solutions-based approach.

When choosing laboratory software, it is natural to look for familiar and specific functionality, such as an electronic logbook or inventory manager. But while those features are useful, they should be the supporting cast not the leading actors. At Clinisys, we look first at the various challenges laboratory management faces every day, and then we build a cohesive set of capabilities around those needs. This approach to developing laboratory software solutions such as an LIS or a LIMS means our customers are buying an industry-specific software solution designed to address underlying business challenges, supported with a range of tools and features to meet their needs.

Crucially, our solutions are built with interoperability in mind. Some feature-packed products may provide all manner of bells and whistles to help laboratories work smarter. But if those products do not talk to other systems and solutions you rely on, you are unlikely to harness the full benefits.

A LIMS solution can future-proof your laboratory

By focusing on building software to solve laboratory challenges, considering future requirements is embedded in the Clinisys approach to help future-proof your lab. Clinisys Laboratory Solutions™ are built upon the Clinisys Platform™, a modern and versatile architecture and data model for SaaS laboratory informatics. Thanks to the flexible and scalable nature of our industry solutions, with universal capabilities that support every industry we serve, our customers can feel confident that they are investing in software that will stay relevant over the years, that will grow with them, and that will innovate in response to ever-changing market requirements.

Our solution-based approach to developing and deploying software means your lab can be more productive, cost-efficient, and focused on what matters most. Explore Clinisys Laboratory Solutions for the multitude of business problems they solve:

• Operational efficiency
• Simplified workflows
• Specimen/sample management, batch management, and chains of custody
• Data interoperability
• Automation
• Clarity of decision-making
• Lower total cost of ownership
• Quality first
  

Clinisys Laboratory Solutions are discipline-specific laboratory information management systems built upon the unified Clinisys Platform. Enable the one or many capabilities you need from among our Clinisys Laboratory Solutions feature sets for all the specialized testing services your laboratory offers, now or in the future.