Nuts and Bolts: Why should patients carry too many name-plates?

GURGAON, INDIA: When a diagnostics lab puts something as bleeding-edge as analytics in its test tubes, the report card is usually assumed to indicate symptoms like data simplification or faster processing cycles. But what if it could also blue-pencil things like revenue potential, compliance imperatives, patient-friendly consolidation, and the contagion called Big Data?

This lab planned on using Big Data insights to reduce risk while improving turnaround time with the ambition of becoming one of the few labs in the country with a centralized view of patient information across its laboratories and Patient Service Centers.

When Dr. Lal PathLabs tapped IBM Big Data for integrating service and operations to better support its 30,000 daily patients, it signaled just the right vein to inject some interrogatives.

We try to get an X-Ray of sorts in this conversation with Munender Soperna, Head-IT, Dr. Lal PathLabs and he gives us a close-peek on many areas that surround this recent analytics transplant.

Can you first share something on what prodded this decision? Also, a context of erstwhile systems and the need for a shift.

LPL was on a global expansion mode and there was a need to transform its existing data system into a knowledge stream with collaboration tools across 80 locations. We were also looking for increase in quality of patient reports, research, development and productivity. In 2011, we were working with a GE product and there was a possibility of support being closed in a few years. LIMS is a backbone in this industry and we had about three years to ensure that we have a roll out to make things stay on course; we started a study with IBM to look for answers that will meet our needs on growth integration, scalability etc.

In Feb 2011, we started with the as-is process and discussed about the to-be scenario. With IBM, we could select and implement the right system to transform their laboratory information management process. The idea was to make reliability of sampling processes better while meeting regulatory compliance and industry standards, and providing comprehensive reporting, monitoring and analysis capabilities.

Why a third eye?

During evaluation we had identified three-four players and then pinned down a product. But we wanted a PMO layer to handle commitment, timelines, deliveries etc with managing this project. It kicked off and with different milestones and stages, gap analysis studies, key user training etc; we covered what we wanted and how we wanted.

How well entrenched is the new solution now? Is it postured well with your growth charts?

It has been integrated over 25 highly-specialized departments and 250 instruments, served thousands of patients, processed millions of samples/reports, while supporting critical business needs, migrating data to a new application, and imparting training to hundreds of end users and administrators, both in India and abroad. We are growing 30 per cent Y-o-Y, and the number of instruments that need to be integrated on the middleware are over 250 (online connected with LIMS).

What was the transition like? How quick or how easy for the team?

The total project time, since the study to completion was about 24 months (six months of study and 16 months of implementation). Talking of challenges, there were not many. While we were concerned about performance and project-management issues with roll-out it was a good and a learning experience. Performance is a critical area in such scenarios. The software has to take care of patient loads and also match speed and performance requirements with precision.

Support was something you had confronted as an issue before. Did it manifest well this time?

We have signed up an agreement with a support partner for ten years. It is well-oiled now with no issues whatsoever, unlike some loopholes earlier. Though, that time too we had about three years to take a call.

Isn’t it tough to balance between user-friendliness and privacy of records in the healthcare industry?

We have American College of Pathology accreditation and our partners are also equipped with the accreditations required. We take care of all imperatives.

Big Data may be fashionable to talk of but is it really a relevant or easy force for this sector?

Before this solution, we had different types of applications in different departments. About 250 instruments that worked on different protocols were there too. Now there is so much standardization and smooth visibility. We can think of personalized services and that’s a progressive step.

Can revenue minting be possible here? Why should the industry become tech-savvy?

We have both organic and inorganic growth plans. Patient load would increase every few years. My opinion is that our industry is divided into silos of protocols at many levels. The future of our sector is very inorganically-inclined. Data information exchange would stay a huge gap is we stay the way we are. Every patient for every lab has a different ID. UID is the future that the industry, on a whole, should prepare for. It is a service that has to be given to the patient after all and it should make things easy for him/her than otherwise. Absence of ISPs at required levels in tier-2 or 3 cities would require better infrastructure to be worked upon if geo-presence has to be improved.

What’s your team like and is it gearing up for more?

We have 22 executives in IT Department with complete hierarchy and stationed at different SBU locations. Future plans include initiatives on mobility with Sales Force Automation called m-SFA; POS over Mobile for our Home Collection executives called m-Registration; Workflow based applications over Mobile; and applications for Logistics team called m-Logistics. We are also mulling over applications for Collection Centers (Franchise) like MRF (Material Requisition Form) called as e-MRF; - e-Registration for Collection Centers; and application for Collection center related to Logistics called e-Logistics etc.