This allows you, for example, to set up one storage rack record and link many samples to it. Most LIMS are relational databases which means that there are links between records which the system maintains automatically. As a result, it becomes much easier – and quicker – for you to search, access and analyse information. Data standardisation and automated data entryīy using rules, formatting, automation and validation the system makes sure you are entering data consistently and in a standard way. Plus, it can ensure you enter critical data at the right point in the process.ģ. This checks that the values you enter are within the required parameters. As well as providing you with a list of approved values to choose from when entering information. This includes making sure dates and numbers are correctly formatted. There are 6 keys ways in which a laboratory information management system can help improve your data quality: 1. Plus, it brings consistency across your services and processes which can improve overall quality which in turn leads to improved reputation. Improving data quality itself also leads to many other benefits such as increasing confidence in your results. One the biggest benefits of using lab software to manage your data is the improvement in data quality. So, data entry won’t necessarily be easier but it will be better. So, it will save you time and bring many other benefits.Īs with any new system it may take some time for people to get used to it and, naturally, some people will adapt quicker than others. As a result, it’s easier to find, understand and work with your tissue samples. However, with laboratory information management system data management tools it’s much easier for you to find, update and understand your information. Now it might sound like I’m completely contradicting myself, but nothing is as easy as entering whatever you want into a spreadsheet. Implementing a LIMS won’t necessarily make data entry easier All of which you may see as a bit of a chore. You’re just capturing it – sort of – sometimes. After all, you’ve got more important things to spend your time on.Īnd crucially, you’re not actually using and getting the most from your data. This can be time-consuming as well as demoralising. Or is it actually the same sample in a new storage location?Ĭonsequently, you end up having sporadic ‘spring-cleaning sessions’ of your data. New tissue samples are created with the same reference numbers as existing samples. Someone needs to hold additional information, so they create a new version. Spreadsheets are easy to set up and use but not so easy to manage or keep under control. It’s labs and Biobanks of every size and complexity. And it’s not just the small labs and Biobanks. You might be surprised to learn that many labs and Biobanks still use spreadsheets to manage their data. Data management isn’t a necessary admin chore – it’s protecting and enhancing a valuable asset You could be sitting on a goldmine of information that could really make a difference to research. And if you do use it, you may lack confidence in the ensuing test results.Īnd what could you be missing out on? Your data could tell you if a sample belongs to a family, what diseases the donor has, what treatments the donor has undergone and their lifestyle choices. Without this information it’s unlikely a tissue sample will ever be used. Your data should help you find a sample, identify what is it and where it came from, understand what it can be used for (perhaps through its informed consent) and help you assess its viability. In this part of our ‘Make Every Sample Matter’ blog series we are underlining the important role data management plays in tissue sample selection and, ultimately, your samples’ usage. And crucially how you manage your data has a bearing on how, and if, you are able to use tissue samples. Data management is a critical function of a LIMS. One of the main reasons labs, Biobanks and biorepositories purchase a lab information management system (LIMS) is to improve data integrity and quality.
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