Ensuring accurate tracking and management of send-out lab specimens is critical for timely and reliable diabetes care in rural settings, where errors can significantly impact treatment decisions. Preventing issues like misrouting, expired samples, and lost data helps maintain continuity of care, improves patient outcomes, and reduces the burden on already strained healthcare systems.
Rural diabetes patients
Rural healthcare providers and staff, including MAs, nurses, and lab technicians
Many rural clinics do not have the capacity to run specialized diagnostics in-house and must send specimens, such as blood, urine, or tissue samples, to external laboratories for processing. These labs are often located hours away and require courier pickup or transport by clinic staff, which may only happen once or twice per week due to staffing shortages/budget constraints.
Sample preparation protocols often differ between labs and across test types, including requirements for centrifuging, refrigeration, time-sensitive drop-off windows, or use of specific vials and preservatives. Maintaining compliance is challenging, especially in clinics without dedicated lab personnel or robust training protocols.
The result is a system prone to errors. Mislabeling, improper storage, or missed courier pickups can cause samples to degrade or expire before they are tested. In some cases, samples are rejected due to noncompliance with handling protocols. In other cases, samples might be accidentally sent to the wrong lab, and even if the sample is prepared properly, the additional shipping time causes the samples to expire. There is a delay in clinics learning about these errors, and mistakes are often only noticed at patients’ next visit when providers notice that lab values are missing. This causes the need for repeat testing, representing an added time and financial burden for patients.
NEEDS STATEMENT:
Develop a streamlined system for rural clinics that tracks lab specimens in real time, ensures adherence to diverse lab protocols, and prevents errors such as misrouting, sample expiration, and data loss.
REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to track specimens in real time from collection to processing, with alerts for delays or protocol violations.
Integration with multiple third-party lab protocols, including automated prompts for correct labeling, packaging, and storage.
Secure, HIPAA-compliant data transmission between clinic, courier, and lab systems.
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Offline functionality or low-bandwidth mode for clinics with unreliable internet access.
Training modules and user support for non-specialist staff with high turnover rates.
Options for integration with existing EHRs or standalone implementation for clinics without digital records.
Evaluation metrics to assess reduction in sample errors, turnaround times, and patient care delays.
