ASTM International

Standard Guide for Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS)
 N E1578

Annotation

This guide helps describe the laboratory informatics landscape and covers issues commonly encountered at all stages in the life cycle of laboratory informatics from inception to retirement. It explains the evolution of laboratory informatics tools used in today's laboratories such as Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELN), Scientific Data Management Systems (SDMS), and Chromatography Data Systems (CDS). It also covers the relationship (interactions) between these tools and the external systems in a given organization. The guide discusses supporting laboratory informatics tools and a wide variety of the issues commonly encountered at different stages in the life cycle. The sub-sections that follow describe details of scope of this document in specific areas.

High-Level Purpose—The purpose of this guide includes: (1) helping educate new users of laboratory informatics tools, (2) provide a standard terminology that can be used by different vendors and end users, (3) establish minimum requirements for laboratory informatics, (4) provide guidance for the specification, evaluation, cost justification, implementation, project management, training, and documentation of the systems, and (5) provide function checklist examples for laboratory informatics systems that can be adopted within the laboratory and integrated with the existing systems.

Laboratory Informatics Definition—Laboratory informatics is the specialized application of information technology aimed at optimizing laboratory operations. It is a collection of informatics tools utilized within laboratory environments to collect, store, process, analyze, report, and archive data and information from the laboratory and supporting processes. Laboratory informatics includes the integration of systems, the electronic delivery of results to customers, and the supporting systems including training and policies. Examples of laboratory informatics include: Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELNs),