LIS vs. LIMS – Which is Best?
To determine whether a LIS or LIMS is better for your particular facility, you should know the differences between the two. They have similar names (Laboratory Information System and Laboratory Information Management System) which can be confusing. However, they offer significantly different functionality. Perhaps the biggest differentiator is that an LIS functions better on an individual record basis, while a LIMS works better for groups of records that need to be processed at once. There is no “best” system when it comes to these lab interfaces. There’s only the system that’s better for your specific needs.
What Does Your Lab Need?
Now that you’re aware of this key difference between the LIS and LIMS, it’s time to start thinking about the needs of your lab, clinic, or hospital. Individual clinics and patient labs would certainly benefit from the more single test-or-record based setup of a LIS. If you’re a larger research facility that needs to run bigger batches of data rather than single input, a LIMS may be a better option for you.
The trouble comes with trying to use an inappropriate system for your needs. For example, when a system intended for a large research facility with different needs (a LIMS) would not be the best choice for a smaller lab that needs tracking and accuracy with individual patient records. Therefore, attempting to use a batching program or multiple record system for tasks will end up causing mistakes and misplacement.
For small labs, clinical labs, veterinary clinics, hospitals, and other facilities that require more finesse in single-record handling, LIS software is the clear winner. If your first priority is in patient care and eliminating potentially harmful mix-ups, look into LIS software. Learn more about LIS software.
LIMS systems are much better suited for organizations running research tests requiring the input of dozens or even hundreds of samples at the same time. If you need to handle large amounts of data for research purposes, consider a LIMS. Learn more about the differences between LIS and LIMS software.
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