PLS Succeeds in Region's Reference Laboratory Market with CyberLAB LIS

Challenge

Physicians Laboratory Services (PLS) wanted to utilize the features available in the CyberLAB laboratory information system (LIS) that would enable the facility to grow, while maintaining its reputable high-level of service to its physicians. The benefit would allow the physicians to provide proper, quality patient care.

Solution

PLS has built and expanded its business with the ability to offer same day turnaround time to its physicians, with the help of CyberLAB features. The turnaround benefit is emphasized to PLS clients and is unmatched by competing national reference laboratories in the region. This benefit continues to attract new clients for PLS services.

Results

PLS has been an Aspyra customer since 1985. The organization has grown from providing local lab testing in Omaha to becoming a full service reference laboratory serving rural hospitals, clinics, and doctor groups and offices in eastern Nebraska (border to border), western Iowa, and parts of Missouri. Today, PLS employs 20 couriers and utilizes some commercial couriers to pick up samples. The longest daily trip is 365 miles (round trip) and the combined courier routes add up to 5,000 miles per day for pickup and delivery from its many clients. PLS needed a LIS solution that was cost effective, scalable and would meet their requirements for growth then and now.

Ruth Ann Bartels, MT (ASCP), director of Professional Services, states: “Service to the physicians so they can deliver proper patient care is a priority. This requires our LIS to manage and handle order entry, processing, generation of results and report/result distribution in the most efficient and accurate manner possible.”

Current specimen volumes are 2,500 clinical tests/day, 350 PAP smears/day and 150 histology tests/day. CyberLAB provides PLS the management and functionality to deal with the test volumes coming into the lab at any given time with easy order entry steps and pending lists to help keep specimens from getting lost in the process.

Turnaround time is another top PLS priority. PLS has built their reputation on providing results with “same-day” turnaround time. Ruth Ann adds, “Specimens picked up by couriers at their larger clients/hospitals during the morning shifts have results reported back by 2 pm. This is a service that national reference laboratories may have difficulty in delivering, and both our staff and the LIS work in conjunction in being able to accomplish this task.” This positions PLS as a strong competitive leader in the reference laboratory market in their region.

Rick Noda, MT (ASCP), Information Systems Manager, states, “CyberLAB results processing allows utilization of alerts for panic values, delta checking and call result functions to assure patient safety and proper results reporting. PLS also utilizes ad hoc reports available within the CyberLAB system to periodically monitor and assure that all panic values are called appropriately.”

Results reporting and access options available in CyberLAB have significantly affected the laboratory's ability to attain its goal of giving clients quick and timely result information, and WebGateway provides remote clients ordering functions with direct access to their patient's results based on user class security.

Ruth Ann Bartels adds, “PLS has historically relied on speed, technology and affordability in being able to remain competitive with national reference laboratories. Instrument interfaces function efficiently and data entry and processes have worked smoothly to allow for quick turnaround times, while allowing us to move results where they need to go with accuracy. CyberLAB and Aspyra have been a part of our business for a long time, and they have continued to provide us with these requirements. The success of our organization heavily relies on the functions and capabilities of CyberLAB.”