We found the UI configuration within eLabJournal easy to follow, the help documentation clear and comprehensive, and the customer support effective. Working with the eLabNext team has been a collaborative and productive experience.

Shari Huval, Director of Health, Faculty and Student Ancillary at Boston University Information Services & Technology

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Boston University

Boston University (BU), founded in 1839, is an internationally recognized institution of higher education and research. With more than 34,000 students, it is the fourth-largest independent university in the United States. The BU Clinical Testing Laboratory was created in the fall of 2020 to provide a reliable solution for processing COVID-19 test samples for BU community members. Currently, ten individuals are on the team; however, the lab had over forty employees at its peak processing COVID test samples.

Goal

In the beginning: To provide a COVID-19 testing program for the BU community by implementing an in-house COVID-19 testing laboratory for students, faculty, and staff. The lab was set up to process over 5,000 samples per day and to deliver results by the following day. At the lab’s peak, it was able to process over 9,000 samples per day.

Moving forward: To continue processing COVID-19 test samples for BU community members with symptoms or those that have been in close contact with someone who has tested
positive for COVID-19.

Challenge

Enabling an in-house COVID-19 testing lab

To find a reliable software solution that can process COVID-19 test samples and integrate with testing robots and Electronic Medical Record systems (EMRs). The BU Clinical Testing Lab requires integration with two BU EMR systems: one for students and the other for employees. The solution would include the ability to send COVID-19 sample orders from the EMRs to the BU Clinical Testing Lab and send COVID-19 test sample results from the BU Clinical Testing Lab to the EMRs. Mainly, the chosen software solution would need to be able to reliably integrate with these two systems and the testing robots. Without the system, an internal lab for COVID-19 testing at BU would not be possible.

Solution

A reliable working solution

The eLabNext APIs, which could be used for processing the files created by the robots, were a key reason it was chosen [over other applications that were considered]. eLabNext’s APIs allowed for smooth integration between BU’s testing robots and the eLabJournal platform. In two months after the implementation of eLabJournal, the lab was up and running. eLabJournal provided a reliable working solution for the Boston University Clinical Testing Laboratory to process COVID-19 testing samples. It has a straightforward integration between the testing robots and machines, and a similar sound integration between the university’s EMRs. The solution provides useful reporting tools allowing the lab to create the reports it needs to track and manage the processing of the test samples.

Result

Successful implementation of in-house COVID-19 testing lab

Not only were the EMRs well-integrated with eLabJournal, but the solution was also able to easily prevent duplicate barcodes from entering the application. As a result, the in-house COVID-19 testing lab for BU was, and is, successfully implemented.

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