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Lab Management Software: Get Answers to Your Top 8 Questions

Based in Ontario, we are a healthcare-focused IT company.

And we have been performing health tech solutions for the past 8+ years.

Since our inception, we have successfully delivered more than 250 health tech products.

Talking specifically about lab management software, well, we have performed it several times.

That’s the reason, in this blog, we have shared all the common questions (asked by clinical laboratory owners) related to it.

And at the end of the blog, we have also shared our HIPAA compliant laboratory management solution.

1. What can I and my patients do with lab management software?

The purpose of lab management software is to streamline processes for each person who is involved in laboratory management.

At the same time, reducing the operational time and cost for the entire ecosystem.

For that, it simply lets both patients and lab owners perform,

Features in lab management software for staff

Features in lab management software for patients

2. How much does it cost to build lab management software?

Well, when it comes to cost, there are no fixed numbers.

Because software development is not just about coding all the time.

There are several other aspects that not just influence the cost but also play a crucial role in successful project delivery.

For example,

  • Features and functionalities needs (and their complexity)
  • Time-to-market requirements
  • Workflow requirements
  • Compliance readiness
  • Tech stack

And without knowing these aspects, we don’t want to give you any random numbers.

But yes, we can give you a rough estimate.

Generally, developers charge on an hourly basis.

And it takes them a different number of hours as per the type of lab management software you wish to build.

1. For custom LIMS software development:

It takes easily 3000+ hours.

Why? Because here, you have to build everything from scratch.

From its common, basic, or advanced features to workflow and overall design.

Besides, this software also needs to be integrated with EMR/EHR.

Moreover, several APIs are also used in building custom LIMS software.

📌 Explore our detailed guide on: Custom healthcare software development

2. For the MVP lab management software:

In the case of the MVP version, developers take at least 2000+ hours.

An MVP version of the lab information management system only contains basic and useful features.

And if you have a limited investment cap, we would recommend going for the MVP model.

Once you test it in the real market or with real customers, add needed features or upgrade existing features.

This way, you can keep the financial risk at its lowest point.

3. Who will own the code after the delivery of the lab management software?

In the case of custom development, you will own the code.

And that matters the most because owning code means you can change UI/UX or add features to your product as per your flexibility.

Moreover, you can hire a new technical partner.

With that, you don’t have to always ask your current technical partner to add changes to the product.

Most importantly, if something goes wrong in the future, you can sell your product to anyone.

4. Will there be any operating cost to keep my lab patient portal running?

Yes, there will always be operating costs, with any type of digital solution.

But it will be a fraction of what you are capable of earning with your lab management software.

These operating costs include,

  • Cost of maintenance
  • Cloud hosting
  • API fees

5. Which option is more value for money between an app, web portal, and software for my lab?

To be honest, an app and software deliver more value (in terms of usability and experience) than a web portal.

However, the major factor which draws a line between these 3 options is the cost of development.

For instance, building an app for your lab costs almost double of a web portal.

And the same applies to software.

Means, if you have low capital to invest, a web portal is an ideal option for you.

6. Can I be able to share lab results with healthcare providers?

Yes, you can.

But it requires additional development as there is no direct way to online share lab results with doctors’ EMRs.

Because you might already know that an EMR lacks the capability of receiving data from outside of a fixed facility.

However, there is one solution called HRM (Health Report Manager).

Almost all popular EMRs in Canada have already implemented HRM.

It provides the ability for EMRs to receive data from all sources.

But to send data from your lab to the EMR of a healthcare facility, you must integrate HRM with your lab management software.

With this, you can now be able to send lab results directly to healthcare providers’ EMRs from your lab portal.

In the case of EHR, you don’t require any 3rd party software for integration as EHR has native capabilities to receive data from outside of the organization.

But that too requires additional development.

7. Should my lab management software need to be compliant with data privacy laws?

Yes, it must be. Why?

Because it collects, uses, and shares the personal and clinical information of patients.

And that’s why there is one federal-level privacy law and multiple provincial-level privacy laws applicable to your digital lab solution.

For instance,

  • PIPEDA at the federal level in Canada
  • PHIPA in Ontario
  • HIA in Alberta
  • HIPAA in the USA

The only purpose of these laws is to ensure all healthcare entities have an adequate number of security measures in place to avoid a healthcare data breach.

Each of these laws has several technical and administrative regulations which you need to adhere to at any cost.

Otherwise, you will be liable for a hefty fine.

📌 Read our detailed guide on: HIPAA compliant app development

8. What should I choose between – SaaS lab management software or a custom one?

To be honest, neither of these options is worth your investment.

Let us explain.

Custom development will easily cost you more than $100,000.

Plus, it would take developers at least 6 months to build it.

On the other hand, the SaaS lab portal will never deliver value anyway.

Because it does not come with customization options.

So, you have to use software that is not built for you.

You also need to pay monthly or yearly fees.

And the moment you stop paying, you cannot access the software.

So, the most workable solution here is our lab management solution.

Our ideal solution for lab management software

We have invested our 2+ years and the best team to build a powerful base as lab management software.

It is a ready-to-use solution.

Means, you can start lab management practices right away.

But in case you have unique requirements (for branding, workflows, functionalities, etc.) you can also customize it accordingly.

And unlike custom solutions, it’ll not take weeks to perform it.

Because the base is ready. What you need to do is code on top of that base as per your need.

To do so, we have an in-house team of designers, developers, compliance specialists, and integration experts.

With this approach, you’ll easily save,

  • 3000+ development hours
  • $100,000+ cost

For a better understanding, the following are its real screen images.

(Note: Final screens might have some differences as we customize the product for each customer to address their unique needs.)

Lab management software

Top-notch features of lab management software

Due to the multiple features available in our solution, we have listed only the most important ones.

To get an overview of every feature (with an explanation), just fill up the contact form.

We’ll give you a live demo of our solution within a few hours.

  • Patient and provider management
  • Patient engagement solution
  • HIPAA-compliant document management
  • Task management solution
  • Chat with patients and internal and external team
  • User permission management
  • Automated notification via SMS, email, and in-app
  • Inventory management
  • Lab equipment management

Top benefits of having a lab management software

There are several benefits to using lab management software, including:

1. Streamlining workflows:

It helps in automating many of the manual and time-consuming processes involved in laboratory operations, such as sample tracking, inventory management, and data analysis.

This can help to reduce errors, save time, and improve overall productivity.

2. Improved collaboration:

It provides a central platform for lab members to communicate and collaborate on projects, share data, and keep track of progress.

This can help to improve teamwork, facilitate knowledge sharing, and reduce the risk of miscommunication.

3. Enhanced data management:

Lab management software provides advanced tools for organizing, analyzing, and reporting data.

This can help to improve the accuracy and consistency of data analysis, as well as make it easier to share results with colleagues, collaborators, and regulatory bodies.

4. Better resource utilization:

It helps to optimize the use of resources such as equipment, reagents, and personnel, by providing real-time information on availability and scheduling.

This can help to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and avoid delays or conflicts.

5. Compliance and traceability:

It provides features for tracking and documenting laboratory activities, such as sample storage, instrument calibration, and experimental conditions.

This can help to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, facilitate audits, and provide traceability for results.

6. Improved sample tracking

It can assist in tracking the status of samples throughout the laboratory process, starting from receipt to disposal.

It uses labeling and barcoding technology to check sample status in real-time. Hence, the chance of samples getting misplaced or lost becomes minimal.

A few reasons why it is the best lab management software

The thing that sides our solution apart from the rest is – it is built by the healthcare-specific development team.

Besides, we took advice (for workflow and usability) from more than 20 Ontario-based clinical laboratory owners.

Because we wanted to build a solution that completely meets the on-ground requirements of patients as well as lab owners.

Apart from that, the following are some other aspects that make our solution the best!

  • It is a HIPAA-compliant solution.
  • You can use it with an unlimited number of users.
  • It is equipped with a multi-user architecture (which means a separate portal for patients and the internal and external teams).
  • It comes up with no-code capabilities (which means you can configure the workflows as per your needs).

The cost of our solution to lab management software

There are no monthly or yearly subscription fees here.

There are also no plans, packages, add-ons, and hidden costs here.

You just need to invest one time.

And with that, you’ll get values such as –

  • Usage rights for the lifetime
  • No limitations on users. An unlimited number of users can use the software.
  • Your own branding.
  • Full freedom for the customization
  • No security investment is needed. The software is already HIPAA compliant.
  • We’ll host it on your own server.

And talking about its customization cost, well, there is also peace of mind.

There is no fixed pricing for it.

You just have to pay a nominal fee for the number of hours our team will spend on customization.

If you are interested to know more about it, let us know your interest.

We will give you its live demo!

Top 3 FAQs on our lab management solution

In case your questions are not listed here, feel free to connect with us.

Our team (who have built this product) will connect with you over a video call.

1. Can you integrate LIS with other systems?

Yes. Why not?

We have an in-house team of healthcare-focus integration specialists.

What is so special about them is – they have been performing only integration since the first day of their professional careers.

They will work as your extended team and integrate the LIS with your preferred EHR/EMR, HIS, and PACS with all the interoperability standards (HL7, FHIR) in mind!

2. Is your LIS compliant with data privacy and security laws?

Yes.

Being a healthcare-focused IT company, we heavily understand the importance of compliance.

Thus, our solution to lab management software is compliant with several data privacy and security laws such as,

  • HIPAA
  • PHIPA
  • PIPEDA
  • GDPR

3. Is it require installation?

No. There is no installation is needed.

Because it is a web-based solution.

Means, you and your internal and external users can access and use the software from any type of device or browser.

📌 Read our detailed guide on: Lab workflow automation solution