Clinical diagnostics lab directors and scientists face constant pressure to deliver faster and more reliable results while maintaining accuracy, efficiency, and regulatory compliance. On February 4, 2025, Mike Tolino of Sapio Sciences presented a webinar addressing how lab personnel can meet their critical responsibilities.
Having spent over a decade in clinical diagnostic labs, Mike knows firsthand the challenges of clinical laboratory management. He describes the key benefits of Sapio LIMS® in clinical diagnostics, including efficient sample tracking, seamless lab instrument integration, automated compliance workflows, and improved data accuracy.
We present the key topics covered in the webinar, during which Mike provides detailed demonstrations of the LIMS capabilities.
Clinical Diagnostics Laboratory Challenges
Clinical laboratories face challenges in delivering high-quality results quickly while ensuring regulatory compliance, data integrity, and operational efficiency. Key challenges in clinical diagnostics laboratories include:
- Manual processes and paper-based systems that lead to inefficiencies and errors.
- A lack of real-time data visibility and tracking that hinders decision making.
- Difficulties in managing complex workflows and ensuring regulatory compliance.
There is a need for solutions that streamline operations, improve turnaround times, reduce errors, and enhance patient outcomes.
Sapio LIMS in a Clinical Laboratory
In a clinical laboratory, Sapio LIMS simplifies the user experience, enhances connectivity with physicians, streamlines ordering, and ensures precise sample handling from receipt through processing to reporting. As a result, Sapio LIMS provides multiple benefits for clinical diagnostic laboratory operations, including:
- Streamlined sample tracking and workflow management.
- Data visibility with dashboards and enhanced data accuracy and integrity.
- Seamless integration with lab instruments.
- Automated QC thresholds, notifications, and reflex testing.
Physician Portal
The Sapio hCRM is a central hub that supports the efficient management of lab processes from order submission to reporting. It integrates with the Sapio LIMS and:
- Enables physicians to create and submit lab orders and track results.
- Automates the order process, eliminating manual requisition forms.
- Streamlines order entry and tracking.
- Provides real-time visibility of sample status.
Figure 1. Example of the entry view of a physician’s portal.
Sample, Inventory, and Instrument Management
Once patient samples are received, the Sapio LIMS manages the sample, inventory, and instruments (usage and maintenance) for:
- Efficient sample registration, receiving, accessioning, and storage.
- Comprehensive sample lineage and tracking throughout the lab.
- Status of lots used and inventory levels.
- Integration with laboratory instruments and tracking of maintenance schedules.
Patient and associated test order information, available through the physician portal, are also available directly from the LIMS, along with sample, instrument, and inventory data.
Workflow Management
The Sapio LIMS provides a comprehensive suite of pre-built, specialized workflows that can be rapidly deployed to meet clinical needs. The Sapio platform’s no-/low-code configuration capabilities also empower scientists to easily modify and orchestrate complex workflows and automate lab procedures without writing a single line of code. Collectively, these capabilities enable clinical lab scientists to:
- Get started faster with pre-built, out-of-the-box workflow templates for orders like NGS testing.
- Configure workflows to match laboratory needs and set QC thresholds to automate, repeat, and reflex testing.
- Automate tasks and notifications with barcode scanning, instrument integrations, and a no-code rules engine.
- Track which samples are ready for testing in the process queue.
Data Review and Reporting
The Sapio LIMS makes searching and reviewing data and producing custom reports easy without needing to code an SQL query. Key features include:
- Searching with natural language to quickly retrieve data.
- Management reports and real-time tracking of key performance indicators (KPI) like turnaround times (TAT), quality control (QC) stats, and failure rates on configurable dashboards.
- Automated custom report generation and delivery, including medical director review and e-signatures.
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Figure 2. Examples of (a) a custom dashboard for tracking turnaround times and (b) a custom report with detailed test information.
Conclusion
The benefits of using a Sapio LIMS to meet the critical quality, accuracy, efficiency, and compliance demands of a clinical lab include:
- Increased efficiency and productivity
- Improved data accuracy and integrity
- Enhanced compliance
- Improved patient outcomes
Watch the webinar to learn how you can drive efficiency and simplify compliance with Sapio’s integrated informatics platform.