ANALYTICAL & LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
A sample tracking application is crucial for modern laboratories
Tim Daniels reveals why sample tracking is essential for organisations that outsource laboratory testing activities
topical. Whether your products are blood products, water or even toys or cars, nearly all testing can be performed by a contract laboratory. However, if you do decide to outsource laboratory testing there is still a real need for sample tracking within your organisation. T e following are the key reasons why the use of a sample tracking application is so important. Firstly, each sample can be uniquely
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identifi ed by using an automatic number generator in the sample tracking application. Labels for each sample can be automatically printed to include barcodes as well as text and affi xed to the samples prior to dispatch. In addition, a worklist can be generated as a report from the sample tracking application to provide a contract laboratory with clear instructions.
etermining the pros and cons of operating an in-house laboratory or sending samples out to an external lab to be tested is increasingly
SMARTER SAMPLE MANAGEMENT
T e target dates for return of results can be included in the instructions. T ese target dates can be specifi ed individually for each sample or can be generated automatically if a default time is used. T is default time can be set for each test
individually, if needed, e.g. a microbiology test will require more time than a pH test. T e sample tracking application can track samples sent to diff erent contract laboratories. T is is a common need as diff erent laboratories may have specialist expertise and equipment. Comments about the capabilities and performance of each laboratory can also be stored alongside contact details. T e cost of testing can also be held within the application. T is allows the creation of management reports that record the number of samples, and associated costs, for each contract laboratory over a selected period of time. On completion of testing the test results from the contract laboratories can be uploaded electronically to the sample tracking application. At this point in-house specifi cation limits can be applied to the results, thus giving quick indications of problems that might exist. Trend analysis of the test results can be off ered as an option for the application to further compare samples, batches or projects to spot emerging
trends.In the case of suspect results, a CAPA module could be provided as an option with the sample tracking application.
Overall, the application provides full sample tracking capability, complete with data analysis. Depending on the size of the organisation the need may only be for a single user system, although multiple user systems would also be available.
IN-HOUSE VERSUS EXTERNAL An in-house lab will perform its own testing and approve the quality of the product for release itself. When using an external lab, a variety of samples will be sent to the external lab for
Comparing in-house versus external laboratory workfl ows
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