System and a method for managing information relating to sample test requests within a laboratory environment

Abstract

A system and method for managing information relating to requests for a number of tests to be made of at least one sample within a laboratory environment are disclosed. The system may include a sample reception unit, a pre-analytical unit to scan, sort and/or aliquot the sample on request according to respective test requirements included within a respective sample order, an analytical unit to run at least one test on a sorted and/or aliquoted sample, and at least one decision unit. The decision unit acts as a connecting component for interconnecting the sample reception unit, the pre-analytical unit and the analytical unit as both an intermediary and coordinator such that tests can be performed via a recursive workflow until the sample is completely measured. The decision unit is further configured to collate the test results appropriately with the sample and to give a respective report towards a host component.

1 . A system for managing information relating to requests for a number of tests to be made on at least one sample within a laboratory environment, the system comprising:
 at least one pre-analytical unit configured to scan the at least one sample and to sort, aliquot and/or archive the at least one sample on request according to respective test requirements included within a respective sample order;   at least one analytical unit configured to run at least one test of the number of tests on the appropriately sorted and/or aliquoted sample; and   a decision unit enabling at least one host component to access the system and to submit the sample order for the at least one sample, and acting as intermediary and coordinator in communication between the at least one pre-analytical unit and the at least one analytical unit such that the number of tests is performed via a recursive workflow until a pre-given stopping criterion is fulfilled, the decision unit being further configured to collate gained test results appropriately with the sample and to give a respective report towards the at least one host component.   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , the system further comprising at least one post-analytical unit configured to archive measured samples as part of the workflow. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one post- and the at least one pre-analytical units are consolidated within one or more common physical equipment. 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the decision unit can communicate with the host component via any standard host interface protocol. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the decision unit realizes a consolidating front end for all pre-analytical units and all analytical units of the system related to the at least one host component, thus relieving the host component from real-time duties. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the decision unit acts as a distributor unit distributing the at least one sample to the at least one analytical unit according to distribution criteria which have been configured by the decision unit itself and executed in real-time based on pre-analytical information from the at least one pre-analytical unit and/or on current analytical data received from the at least one analytical unit optionally combined with other sample related information. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the decision unit is configured to optionally combine in real-time current analytical data with other sample related information. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pre-analytical unit is a handheld scanner providing semi-automated function or a robot system doing the pre-analytical functions automatically. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 1 , the system comprising a plurality of analytical units enabling the system to run a plurality of tests. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one pre-analytical unit is further configured to put the sorted and/or aliquoted sample into an appropriate target for transfer to the at least one analytical unit. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein the analytical unit is configured to receive open test requests either in query mode or in batch mode from the decision unit. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 1 , the system further comprising at least one sample reception unit to receive the at least one sample. 
     
     
         13 . A decision unit for managing information in real-time relating to requests for a number of tests to be made on at least one sample in a system within a laboratory environment, the laboratory environment comprising at least one pre-analytical unit and at least one analytical unit, wherein the decision unit enables at least one host component to access the system and to submit a sample order for the at least one sample, and acts as intermediary and coordinator in communication between the pre-analytical unit and the analytical unit such that the number of tests is performed via a recursive workflow, coordinated by the decision unit until a pre-given stopping criterion is fulfilled, the decision unit being further configured to collate gained test results appropriately with the sample and to give a respective report towards the at least one host component. 
     
     
         14 . The decision unit according to  claim 13 , which can communicate with the host component via any standard host interface protocol. 
     
     
         15 . The decision unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the decision unit realizes a consolidating front end for all pre-analytical units and all analytical units of the system related to the at least one host component, thus relieving the host component from real-time duties. 
     
     
         16 . The decision unit according to  claim 13 , which acts as a distributor unit distributing the at least one sample to the at least one analytical unit according to distribution criteria which have been configured by the decision unit itself based on pre-analytical information from the at least one pre-analytical unit and/or on test results from tests of the number of tests which have already been performed by the at least one analytical unit optionally combined with other sample related information. 
     
     
         17 . The decision unit according to  claim 13 , the decision unit being further connected with a database for storing sample information, sample test information, sample test request information, sample context information and patient demographic information. 
     
     
         18 . The decision unit according to  claim 17 , wherein the database is an integral part of the decision unit. 
     
     
         19 . The decision unit according to  claim 13 , wherein the decision unit is configured to optionally combine current analytical data with other sample related information. 
     
     
         20 . A method for managing information relating to requests for a number of tests to be made on at least one sample within a laboratory environment, the laboratory environment comprising at least one pre-analytical unit, at least one analytical unit and a decision unit, the method comprising:
 receiving the sample;   transporting the sample to the at least one pre-analytical unit;   identifying the sample and assigning the sample to a sample order;   processing the sample according to the sample order by a dynamically adaptable coordinated interaction of the at least one pre-analytical unit and the at least one analytical unit; and   giving a report about the processing to at least one host component, wherein the coordination between the at least one pre-analytical unit and the at least one analytical unit is managed by the decision unit acting as intermediary and coordinator in communication between the respective units and the report is given by the decision unit acting as consolidating front end related to the at least one host component.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising receiving the sample order comprising a sample-ID and the sample test requests with sample test request information and sample related information from the at least one host component. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising performing a sample scan by the pre-analytical unit and sending the sample scan to the decision unit. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the processing is performed via a recursive workflow. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the recursive workflow comprises:
 processing the sample order by the pre-analytical unit by sorting and/or aliquoting the sample and putting the sample into an appropriate target;   putting the sorted and/or aliquoted sample on the analytical unit; depending on the sample order with sample test request information and sample related information, downloaded from the decision unit to the analytical unit, performing at least one appropriate test among the number of tests by the analytical unit;   uploading the test results from the analytical unit to the decision unit;   updating the sample order with respect to the uploaded test results at the decision unit; and   repeating at least some of the steps until a pre-given stopping criterion is fulfilled.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 20 , further comprising sorting the sample into an archive tray in case that the pre-given stopping criterion is fulfilled. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the report given towards the at least one host component comprises test results and/or a sample order status. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26 , wherein the step of reporting a sample order status is performed periodically. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 20  further comprising collating gained test results with the corresponding sample. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein at least some of the steps are executed automatically by means of a robot system. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the sample-ID is represented by a barcode. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein the sample order is downloaded to the at least one analytical unit either in batch mode or in query mode. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein a plurality of samples is to be tested. 
     
     
         33 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program which, when executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to perform a method for managing information relating to requests for a number of tests to be made on at least one sample within a laboratory environment, the method comprising:
 configuring at least one pre-analytical unit to scan the at least one sample and to sort, aliquot and/or archive the at least one sample on request according to respective test requirements included within a respective sample order;   configuring at least one analytical unit to run at least one test of the number of tests on the appropriately sorted and/or aliquoted sample; and   configuring a decision unit to enable at least one host component to access the system and to submit the sample order for the at least one sample, and to act as intermediary and coordinator in communication between the at least one pre-analytical unit and the at least one analytical unit such that the number of tests is performed via a recursive workflow until a pre-given stopping criterion is fulfilled, and configuring the decision unit further to collate gained test results appropriately with the sample and to give a respective report towards the at least one host component.   
     
     
         34 . A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a computer program which, when executed by a computer system, causes the computer system to perform a method for managing information relating to requests for a number of tests to be made on at least one sample within a laboratory environment, the method comprising:
 receiving and transporting a sample to at least one pre-analytical unit;   identifying the sample and assigning the sample to a sample order;   processing the sample according to the sample order by a dynamically adaptable coordinated interaction of the at least one pre-analytical unit and at least one analytical unit; and   giving a report about the processing to at least one host component, wherein coordination between the at least one pre-analytical unit and the at least one analytical unit is managed by a decision unit acting as intermediary and coordinator in communication between the respective units and the report is given by the decision unit acting as consolidating front end related to the at least one host component.   
     
     
         35 . The computer readable medium according to  claim 34 , wherein the computer code, when executed by the computer system, further causes the computer system to perform the processing of the method according to a recursive workflow comprising:
 processing the sample order by the pre-analytical unit by sorting and/or aliquoting the sample and putting the sample into an appropriate target;   putting the sorted and/or aliquoted sample on the at least one analytical unit;   depending on the sample order with sample test request information and sample related information, downloaded from the decision unit to the at least one analytical unit, performing at least one appropriate test among the number of tests by the at least one analytical unit;   uploading the test results from the at least one analytical unit to the decision unit;   updating the sample order with respect to the uploaded test results at the decision unit; and   repeating at least some of the steps until a pre-given stopping criterion is fulfilled.   
     
     
         36 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium according to  claim 33 . 
     
     
         37 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium according to  claim 35 .