Assess impact of hospital laboratory information management systems in hospital

Abstract

Background: Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMSs) are essential tools in modern healthcare, streamlining data storage, management, and reporting. Compliance with established standards, such as the LIS8-A standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), ensures data accuracy, workflow efficiency, and patient safety. This study evaluates the compliance of LIMSs in teaching and private hospitals with the LIS8-A standard, identifying gaps and areas for improvement.
Methods: This study was conducted over 12 months hospitals utilizing LIMSs . A checklist based on the LIS8-A standard was developed and validated by experts. Data collection involved direct observation and user interviews. Compliance was scored, and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, including t-tests and ANOVA, with a significance threshold of α = 0.05.
Results: Most LIMSs met core functionalities such as data storage (88.9%) and system integration (83.3%), but compliance with advanced features like real-time analytics (50%) and task delegation automation (44.4%) was limited. Reporting functions varied, with high compliance in test result reporting (94.4%) but lower rates for custom report generation (61.1%). Variability in compliance was observed across hospitals and vendors.
Conclusion: While LIMSs in the studied hospitals generally adhered to core LIS8-A functionalities, gaps in advanced features highlight the need for system enhancement. Vendors should prioritize the integration of advanced capabilities, and healthcare institutions should emphasize compliance with standards during system selection and implementation. Collaborative efforts among stakeholders, regular evaluations, and user training programs are recommended to optimize LIMS performance and usability, ultimately improving healthcare delivery.