SCC Soft Computer’s SoftDonor.web™ version 4.5.5.0 received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). SoftDonor.web™ has enhanced features to increase productivity in the laboratory while maintaining compliance with safety regulations. [Read More]

As the everyday world becomes immersed in technology and we become increasingly dependent on computers to assist in day-to-day tasks, the field of life sciences is following the same path of utilizing artificial intelligence (AI). [Read More]

A two-part series covering what limits are and how to apply them in a LIMS. One of the many benefits of implementing a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is the reduction, or elimination, of potential user error and the consistent application of standard operating procedures. [Read More]

Every time we ride a bicycle, drive a car, or travel by plane, we’re faced with the risk of injury. While we can’t completely eliminate all the risks, we can reduce our chances of getting hurt — think bicycle helmets, seat belts, and oxygen masks. Similarly, clinical diagnostic labs have to accept a certain amount of risk (known as risk acceptance), but there are a number of ways these risks can be mitigated.
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Outstanding healthcare begins with effective management of patient data from multiple sources across a network of medical care providers and organizations. Enabling health care providers to enter and access patient information via a unified, secure database provides a holistic view to better inform medical decisions and the quality of care.
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On December 3, 2021, the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published it's final rule concerning the Laboratory Accreditation for Analyses of Foods (LAAF) program. Effective February 1, 2022, this rule enables the accreditation of interested food and environmental testing laboratories for specific types of testing of the U.S. food supply. [Read More]

Agilent Technologies Inc. today announced it has acquired advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology developed by Virtual Control, an AI and machine learning software developer that creates innovative analysis solutions in lab testing. [Read More]

Building a digital strategy that addresses the needs & trends of tomorrow is crucial to effective digital transformation. Quality, Compliance, and Automation are the three key themes that will influence today’s digital decisions. Read this whitepaper to learn more. [Read More]

In this 2021 paper published in the journal Frontiers in Digital Health, Maury et al. of University of Lausanne and Lausanne University Hospital describe their process of developing a COVID-19 dashboard for improving their health care efforts. Noting the usefulness of rapidly gathering, integrating, and using data during epidemics, the authors decided to pull information from their laboratory information system (LIS), as well as other systems, and try to streamline COVID-19 care. After describing their reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) workflows and information systems, they discuss their dashboard—developed in R Shiny—and how its various components aided in their hospital system's goals. The authors conclude that a "dashboard promises the potential gain of time and productivity in a public hospital context, where the resources are scarce and the staff is under the day-to-day task pressure."

In this 2021 paper published in the journal Journal of Translational Medicine, Asiimwe et al. discuss the challenge of moving "vast amounts of research and clinical data" from their silos to more accessible platforms that biobanks and their researchers can better take advantage of. In particular, they discuss the steps British Columbia’s Gynecological Cancer Research Program (OVCARE) took to move from a traditional system of data silos to an integrated data commons in an effort to standardize and encourage collaborative data sharing and governance. After providing a bit of background on their situation, the authors discuss matching their research community's needs to an integrated domain-specific system infrastructure. After reflecting on their implementation, the authors discuss their results and conclude that a "seamless data environment for clinical and research data can be achieved through shared policies and technologies, and privacy-preserving open computer architectures and storage platforms."