The Thuringian State Office for Consumer Protection examines around 500,000 blood, milk and tissue samples from animals every year. The laboratory information and management system LABbase from GUS LAB GmbH provides support here. It maps the complete sample process as well as extensive notification and reporting requirements.
The chance
The Thuringian State Office for Consumer Protection (TLV) had repeatedly extended its former laboratory information and management system (LIMS) with external (individual) software. This resulted in heterogeneous data processing that required frequent error corrections. In addition, the existing solution had neither versioning for master data changes nor test methods. In addition, the submission-oriented system was able to map the sample path up to reporting, but not the reporting and reporting obligations to higher-level authorities and databases. The TLV also needed new functions for recording and differentiating disease types and animal species. For example, reports and notifications on cattle must differentiate between calves, yearlings, cows, heifers and bulls. For such subdivisions, too, a sample-oriented and flexibly adaptable system became essential.
IT - rethought
The new LABbase solution not only maps all steps of the sample process, but also generates messages and reports from within the system. The sample-oriented system is able to map thousands of different master data and also differentiate within animal or disease types. About half a dozen types of blood samples can be mapped with LABbase, as well as thousands of beetle species or the subdivisions of cattle. In addition, the solution transmits this master data via various external interfaces, each with different codes.
Furthermore, versioning with key date rules ensures that changes to master data and test methods are not erroneously stored retroactively. In order to support complex data transfer processes in the billing system, Blomesystem developed additional correction aids and check routines for the clerks involved.
Fit for the future
How does the Thuringian State Office for Consumer Protection benefit from LIMS LABbase?
- The sample-oriented system fulfills the notification and reporting obligations to higher-level authorities, institutions and databases
- Hardly any errors occur during data processing due to versioning of master data and inspection methods
- The solution provides checking routines and correction aids for complex billing processes
- Extensive and continuous support services
- "Living system": the modular structure of LABbase enables flexible integration of new requirements and interfaces
