Custom Software for the Genomics Industry
Are you trying to decide if your lab should build its own custom software, buy off-the-shelf software (knowing you’ll inevitably have to customize it), or just keep stumbling along with Excel and paper-based tracking? The answer to this question will ultimately depend on your short- and long-term information system (informatics) strategy. How do you devise an informatics strategy? There are […]
In today’s evolving market, labs inevitably need to make changes within their informatics software stack. The greater your lab’s efficiency in making these changes, the easier you’ll be able to keep up with new demands and innovations. How your software environment is set up can make a huge difference in how quickly you can validate new processes and updates to […]
Software quality is a broad topic and often not well understood by clinical diagnostic laboratories, which is why we thought it might be helpful to offer a quick primer. Commonly, the “quality” of software refers only to its ability to meet a set of requirements. But meeting requirements is just one of many metrics for measuring quality and if you […]
In my previous post in this two-part series, I talked about how software can support your analysts as they follow your laboratory’s standard operating procedures (SOPs). This time, let’s take a closer look at how software that closely matches your SOPs can help your lab reduce errors, enhance morale, and improve patient safety. Two ways to view errors made in […]
It might come as a surprise to some laboratory managers, but a lab’s standard operating procedures (SOPs) offer software consultants key insights into the workings of your lab. They also describe how your lab software should behave—assuming they are up to date. In this two-part series, we’re going to explore how SOPs relate to your lab software and how a […]
A lab’s informatics system is critical for its effective operation. As we discussed in a previous post, in the early stages of a lab’s business development, a complex system might not be necessary—the lab could simply use word processing or spreadsheet software. But as labs develop new tests and ramp up throughput, a robust informatics system becomes increasingly necessary. In […]
For low-throughput labs, manual processing might be the simplest and best way to operate. But for high-throughput labs, automation is the key tool needed to boost speed and efficiency. Every process you currently perform manually is an opportunity for incremental improvement. So, it makes sense to automate as many processes as possible once your monthly throughput exceeds a certain threshold. […]
Laboratory informatics is a critical piece of the puzzle for clinical diagnostic lab startups. Without some serious thought about how they’ll manage their instruments, software, and data management tools, labs can find themselves travelling along a well-worn but meandering path—even though there’s a more direct route to managing operations and optimizing their processes for efficiency. Frequently, startup labs get their […]
The Agile methodology is one of the most common project management methods for software development, and for good reason. Its iterative nature lends itself to an ideal build process. Add clearly-defined team roles and a lightweight Scrum framework—with short, focused bursts of work called Sprints, which typically last 1–4 weeks—and you have an approach that enables teams to work together […]
NGS clinical diagnostic labs face growing complexity in their software solutions as they attempt to adapt to a market with evolving requirements and stakeholder expectations. It’s not that they want to add to their systems in a piecemeal fashion—it’s quite the opposite. Most lab managers would prefer to buy a single complete solution that meets all of their current and […]