Like many things in the healthcare industry, molecular laboratories are developing at an incredible rate, progressing in everything from instrumentation to service delivery. Molecular testing laboratories are no longer a mysterious hidden function hidden in remote areas of hospitals, but are becoming a more prominent part of the entire healthcare package. One reason for their increasing prominence is the increasing emphasis on evidence-based precision medicine.
“Molecular testing laboratories play an important role in evidence-based precision medicine,” Jennifer Bull, chief operating officer of Northwest Pathology, said in an interview. “An important reason for the increased demand for molecular testing laboratories is that biochemistry and molecular genetics are driving the development of healthcare. Molecular laboratories do have a responsibility to provide a large amount of evidence for evidence-based precision care.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 70% of today’s medical The decision depends on the laboratory test results. This further highlights the important role of clinical laboratories in today’s healthcare environment.
The rise of evidence-based laboratory medicine
This dynamic even gave birth to a whole new practice called Evidence-Based Laboratory Medicine or EBLM. This is a unique branch of evidence-based medicine that focuses on the evaluation and use of laboratory tests to improve the prognosis of patients. This means that molecular testing laboratories are becoming the main collectors and interpreters of data provided by biological specimens, helping clinicians to better understand clinical pathways and treatment options, including drug selection, professional treatment and other treatment options.
The development of evidence-based laboratory medicine also means that diagnostic tests have become extremely complex. In fact, it is so complicated that even doctors and their staff can no longer easily understand them. Therefore, molecular laboratories are often asked to help healthcare providers understand the relevance of certain laboratory results.
“One of the biggest changes we have recently experienced is the role that laboratories now play in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases,” Burr added. “Traditionally, laboratories are only responsible for processing specimens and issuing reports. But because they are already very good at understanding the treasure trove of medical data they collect, laboratories are becoming an important part of the treatment team.”
But not all molecular testing laboratories find this elevated role attractive. Some laboratory managers believe that the additional pressure of the current workload is too great. However, recognizing the value of helping advance the development of medicine, future-oriented laboratories are turning to technical support.
Digital transformation of molecular laboratories
According to the CDC, 14 billion laboratory tests It is ordered every year and the quantity is huge, which puts tremendous pressure on the available laboratory resources. Therefore, a laboratory without proper tools or operating procedures not only jeopardizes safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness, but also jeopardizes the effective diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
“The modern molecular laboratory needs a laboratory information system that goes beyond basic order capture and result delivery,” said Suren Avunjian, CEO of LigoLab. Blog post“Labs need a system to ensure flexibility inside and outside the laboratory network, with specimen lifecycle tracking and support functions, promote scalability and efficiency, and increase the laboratory’s value as a revenue center and care partner.”
LigoLab Information System It is a software supplier for pathology and clinical laboratories, providing services to more than 100 institutions in the United States. The company’s laboratory operating system includes modules specifically designed for molecular diagnostics. Other vendors in this area include Sunquest Information Systems and SCC Soft Computer.
“In today’s clinical testing laboratory environment, traditional LIS is no longer applicable,” Avunjian added. “Molecular laboratories need a system that can connect all corners of the diagnostic field, including instruments, laboratory management analysis, strong decision support, effective quality control, and third-party interoperability with EHR, decision-making population health tools, and other systems. “
Northwest Laboratory, A department Northwestern PathologyFor 25 years, it has provided extensive laboratory services in Northwest Washington. More than six years ago, NWP began to establish a laboratory information system (LIS) partnership with LigoLab, and fully integrated with anatomical pathology, clinical laboratory, molecular diagnostics, revenue cycle management and direct-to-consumer modules on a software basis Facilities. By doing so, NWP is able to eliminate data islands and quickly add molecular testing to its growing surgical pathology business.
What the future looks like
Although molecular laboratory managers face challenges All are bright. Compared with the past, patients with complex or rare diseases now face a better prospect, and molecular laboratories are an important reason for this situation. With future developments, technological developments will help these laboratories meet many of the future challenges-especially as molecular analysis tools continue to revolutionize disease diagnosis and treatment.
For example, consider the possibility of DNA molecular analysis. Healthcare professionals are now able to diagnose previously undiagnosable patients, determine susceptibility to certain diseases, customize treatments and monitor response rates to treatment more accurately.
Because of their important role in evidence-based precision medicine, molecular laboratories will continue to develop and develop along with the practice itself. However, laboratories that do not invest in technology or talent to keep up with this evolution will be left in the well-known rearview mirror. This will be unfortunate, because the healthcare industry requires all laboratories to work on all cylinders. Its value lies not only in the treatment of patients, but also in the cost reduction of the entire healthcare system.
Photo: Natali_Mis, Getty Images
