Challenges To Address When Creating a Digital Laboratory in 2022
March 22, 2022Digital laboratories consist of various tools and software that automates complex processes in a lab. Transitioning from a regular to a digital laboratory happens in three steps namely:
- Digitalisation: Use of digital services to upgrade and revolutionise business functions.
- Digitisation: the process of converting analog data into digital data.
- Digital transformation: Just employing digital services is not enough. Companies strive to be industry leaders through innovation.
However, there are a number of challenges we shall guide you through that need to be addressed when creating a digital laboratory in your healthcare center. Let’s get started.
1. Thoroughly understand all the lab processes and functions
Regardless of whether you intend to transform all the manual functions of your lab into automated, digital processes or not, you must understand how the systems in the lab work. Scrutinising all the devices and workflows closely will not only give you an insight into how to improve your lab processes, but also point out flaws in the system.
The next step would be to recognise and resolve all these flaws to improve and smoothen out the lab’s regular functions. We recommend the lab mapping process! This map contains information about all the activities and the precise order they begin in, with accurate steps.
Involving the team is a better way to go about this since they are the main users. Naturally, they will need to understand the processes better than anyone else. Ultimately, the workflow will become more efficient and productivity will increase.
2. Understand the regulations
Being in the medical industry, every company, medical equipment manufacturer, and pharma must comply with certain regulations. These regulations ensure that every task is performed according to the industry standard with minimum error and potential loss of life. Businesses compliant with the FDA regulations are more trustworthy to deal with since they can be held accountable in case of any issues.
3. Data management
Labs create tons of data daily. For the data to add any value to the lab, they must be managed properly. Using software tools with the laboratory management software makes data management easier. How? It assists users in converting analogue data to digital data by allowing users to create new documents, analyse and store them digitally.
With the help of APIs, various lab devices can be connected to the grid to enable effortless data management. The devices can be programmed in a way to submit essential data to a central source. This is beneficial to the laboratory as it:
- Risks of errors during manual data transfers are negated.
- The time required for data transfers is minimised.
- Helps in enhancing data integrity.
4. Evaluate your finances
The transition from regular processes and upgrading to digital laboratory software requires a lot of capital. Hence, we recommend evaluating your finances thoroughly before making a decision. Consider asking yourself these questions that can aid you in evaluating the answer:
- Do you really need a digital laboratory?
- What benefits do you intend to gain in both the short and long term?
- Do you see your laboratory benefiting from digitisation and will it be able to give you a return on your investment? (ROI)?
5. Digital transformation culture
The ability of everyone who is part of the business to adopt the digital culture plays a big role in the digitisation process. Only you having goals and a vision for the digital laboratory is not enough; your team should have the same ideology too. You can embrace a digital culture by:
- Goal-setting and effective communication are very important.
- Live by the values you preach.
- Involving your team in everything.
- Establishing leadership.
- Provide your team with the tools they need.
- Regularly monitor the progress.
6. Data and digital security
This is an essential point that must be addressed to avoid any form of unauthorised misuse. With the entire lab connected to the internet, the risks amplify and hence, security should be ramped up as well.
- Authorised access only: One of the key methods to nullifying risks is by granting access solely to the authorised personnel. Through features in the digital systems, very limited people are granted access through their biometrics fed into the system. At the same time, they can be assigned different levels of access too. For example, a fresher may only gain access to systems related to their job alone. At the same time, a manager may have access to the entire grid.
- Data integrity: Every action that is performed in the system either through the authorised users or automated functions gets logged. In case of any wrongdoing, every action can be traced back to the source.
What’s more, digital transformation usually requires businesses to hire external agencies to provide them with the necessary tools. Questioning them about their compliance with cybersecurity laws and how they process your data is a good idea.
Conclusion
The world is moving into a digital era and so must laboratories. However, we recommend doing it step-by-step to improve workflows and management. Investing in digital lab software requires huge capital investment, but it will pay off in the long run. While upgrading the lab tech, consider upgrading the security protocols as well to avoid any misuse. This will ensure that your lab functions smoothly.