LIMS Impact
LIMS Impact in Nigeria
Introduction of the LIMS platform has supported the country to lay the foundation for an integrated digital health system that ensures key public health decision makers have access to relevant data and information to adequately manage patients at all levels of healthcare. The overall impact of LIMS has improved data management and reduced intra-Lab TAT (>14 to <7 days). The Following highlights LIMS impact in Nigeria over the years.
1. HIV VL and EID Module
The LIMS system consist of many different modules across different disease areas for which HIV VL and EID modules are the primary modules upon which various sub-modules are built on such as sample module, manifest, sample transfer, approve sample, worksheet, result module, laboratory, dashboard, report, and facility module. Currently, 94% of the PCR labs (16 of 17 PCR labs) are actively using the National LIMS for VL and EID sample management.
2. Remote Sample Logging (RSL)
The remote sample logging module is a facility-based module on the LIMS platform that provides facility staff with the ability to manage documentation of their samples prior to dispatch to the lab and provide access to test results before dispatch from the lab. It was introduced to address the large amount of documentation required at the labs prior to sample testing which had been identified to contribute to the high turnaround time for results return experienced in-country. About 1,200 health facilities are currently activated on RSL.
3. Intra-lab Sample Transfer Module
As part of efforts to ensure the National LIMS is adequately tailored to the in-country context, the team developed an intra-lab sample transfer module to help track samples transferred between labs for testing. This was identified as a necessary functionality to ensure relevant sample information is not lost in instances where samples are rerouted.
4. LIMS-Lite and Point of Care Testing
LIMS-lite is an offline module of the LIMS module that allows for data entry by health care workers and subsequent upload to the LIMS database once the internet is accessible. This module was originally designed to capture testing data from the decentralized 19 Point-of-Care testing facilities in-country and ensure this data is reflected on the National Dashboard.
5. LIMS-EMR Integration
To foster integration and ensure interoperability of existing and future Health Informatics systems in-country, the National LIMS and facility EMRs were linked via an API to allow direct test requisition and result return from the EMR platform. The integration has resulted in over 1,915 Health Facilities activated on the EMR-LIMS.
6. Commodity Management Module
This module supports commodity management in the laboratory to improve efficiency of laboratory commodities, minimize wastages/expiries and monitor stock levels and stockouts etc. The module contains sub-modules such as units, commodities, physical count, received commodities, used commodities, vendors, CRRF, saved reports and store locations.
7. IP Module
The IP module was designed to provide visibility into PCR laboratories and facilities being supported by the corresponding implementing partners.
8. LIMS-NDR Integration
The NDR is the national system for the management of de-identified HIV data for the country with data from all HI systems including the National LIMS which has been integrated via an API with the NDR.