Many labs consider themselves automated, but manual steps persist. Here’s where automation is working, where it’s falling short, and how some labs are starting to close the gaps.
An excerpt from the full article (available here):
Integration Gaps and Expensive Workarounds
When asked where automation most often stalls, stakeholders point to integration.
Bull* describes a common pattern: “Labs frequently operate with systems that don’t talk to each other well. The LIS doesn’t fully integrate with the billing system. The billing system doesn’t integrate with the EHR. The middleware sits between instruments and the LIS but creates its own data silo. Every gap between systems creates a manual workaround, and those workarounds accumulate.”
That often leads to what Bull calls “swivel chair” data management—staff toggling between systems and manually re-entering or copying data from one screen to another. Some labs use custom middleware or CSV exports to bridge gaps, but those solutions can be fragile, she says. When one system updates, the connection can break.
Cameron** describes a similar reality when systems aren’t fully integrated. “Manual intervention remains common,” he says. “Staff may need to transfer samples between systems, re-enter data, or navigate multiple software interfaces to track a specimen’s status end to end.” In some labs, he adds, dedicated staff serve as the connective tissue between systems—“effectively acting as ‘human middleware’ to keep workflows moving.”
Clifford says poor integration creates problems beyond efficiency. “It makes for a very clunky workflow that is not streamlined or intuitive,” she says. “There can be additional manual checks and a lack of confidence in the usage of these systems, which can even lead to diminished or stunted adoption.”
Over time, Cameron says, many organizations address these challenges by standardizing instruments and informatics platforms across sites to reduce integration complexity.
Both Bull and Cameron say resolving these issues requires workflow redesign and staff training—not just new technology.
* Jenny Bull, Success Director at LigoLab
** Alex Cameron, Head of Atellica Solutions Marketing and Diagnostics at Siemens Healthineers
