Streamline Laboratory Management: Unlocking Efficiency with Workflow Automation

While the concept of laboratory management and automation started in the 1950s, the process of automating lab workflows only really started to take off during the technological revolution in our own time now. The standardization of laboratory systems and procedures across an entire organization is essential in establishing and maintaining the validity of any scientific establishment. 

Workflow automation has dozens of benefits, not only for employees who get to work more closely with each other than they would in isolated positions, but also for lab results in general. Let’s look at some of these benefits and explore ways to implement workflow automation in your laboratory-based organization.

What is Lab Management and Automation? 

Lab management involves the integration of both software and hardware to streamline and automate laboratory processes. The implementation of software for lab workflow management will have a significant effect on lab results in terms of their accuracy. 

For example, a blood sample vile that spins 1,000 times will deliver a different result than a vile that spins 1,001 times. Accuracy is vital to laboratory processes like these, and workflow automation software removes the chances of human error, while adding consistency across an entire organization.  

The automation and management of lab procedures aim to streamline all steps in every process of your research, including: 

• The collection of samples 
• The storage of those samples 
• The analysis of samples 
• The archiving of results 
• Accessibility of those records 

Suffice it to say that workflow automation is about more than simply speeding up research. It’s about focusing on the quality, accuracy, and objectivity of the research your establishment is entrusted with. 

The Manifold Benefits of Automating Laboratory Workflows 

Companies may wonder about the value of automating processes in the workplace, especially those relative to their laboratory workflows. The following advantages show it leads to a high ROI, and individuals can use this to motivate leadership or investors why laboratory automation should be a priority in the current market. 

Automation Increases Employee Effectiveness 

Streamlining laboratory processes not only speeds up the workload but also adds to the productivity of employees. While employees are still very much involved in day-to-day lab procedures, workflow software works with those employees to modernize processes in an accurate and structured way.  

By removing the chance of errors (see more in the point below), employees have the freedom to focus on the research objective itself, rather than the correctness of their analysis. 

Laboratory Management and Automation Reduce the Chance of Errors 

As mentioned, human error is a real concern when it comes to the accuracy of analysis in laboratory testing. Automation further assists employees by removing human error and creating a workflow system that is coherent with the standards of the testing set forth by the organization in question.  

Removal of errors from all processes speaks to the reputation of your laboratory. This reputation of high accuracy will cultivate trust among your clients, and ensure more work for the future. 

Improves Research Quality 

The reputation of any laboratory organization hangs on the value of its research. Since we have already shown that errors are removed and speed and accuracy are increased, achieving the highest quality research is a subsequent positive side effect. 

Improves Data Accuracy 

Laboratory workflow software that can be tailored to match a set of criteria is almost completely free of error. An organization’s reputation and value once again depend on the accuracy of data derived from its respective research. 

Data accuracy in research is essential in today’s information age. When it comes to any scientific research, details matter. The more we discover, the stronger our desire to be fastidious about what we learn. 

Cuts Expenses and Saves Money 

There’s a lot to be said about how much money can be saved during the long term when adequate workflow processes have been put into place. Employee participation is reduced, research processes run faster, and less time is spent overall in the collecting of data which would otherwise take days—even weeks—to complete. 

Tips for Improving Lab Sample Management Workflows 

Now that you’re persuaded of the benefits of implementing a laboratory workflow system, you may be asking, “How do I get started?” Let’s discuss the steps you can take to make this happen in the most effective way possible. 

Standardize the Processes Within Your Lab 

The standardization of all laboratory processes creates a controlled environment where all procedures are synchronized and unvaried. With one set of goals in mind (accuracy, quality, objectivity, and coordination) across all sample analyses, your entire organization will gain more direction in obtaining the most valuable results. 

Standardizing any laboratory requires the integration of workflow software that can be set and adjusted according to the mission objectives of your organization. There’s also the mission objective of your clients to bear in mind, which must be meticulously maintained. 

Know Your Capacity & Work Within it 

Whether your laboratory is small, medium, or large, the workflow automation possibility will depend on your capacity. Fortunately, laboratory workflow software can be tailored to accommodate any size, purpose, or objective you might have. 

It takes your employees into account, manages samples and their corresponding data, and can even be tweaked to adapt to new criteria when needed.  

Establish Proper Channels of Communication 

If synchronization is to take place and ultimately lead to success, communication is a key element. An important contribution of workflow automation is that it puts every department within your lab on the same page. 

Communication and collaboration across all sections within your laboratory become a natural result when every bit of data is accessible. Employee communication is also improved because vital and accurate data is now available at their fingertips. 

Employ an Integrated LIMs System 

LIM (Laboratory Information Management) is crucial to the workflow success of any laboratory. Data can be retrieved according to a hierarchy of accessibility, and a history of results is stored for later use. 

The convenience of integrating a LIM system cuts costs, streamlines processes, and creates a digital workplace that thrives on quality research. 

Finalize 

As a laboratory manager or in any similar role, your concerns are diverse. There’s the duty to your employees, a responsibility to your clients, and an overarching desire to maintain the reputation of your establishment. Implementing automated workflow processes for your laboratory answers all of these concerns while saving you money and reshaping your organization for the better.