DIGI SOCIETY
Digitalization in a clinical laboratory
Without digitalization, we would not have modern laboratory medicine. Various digital solutions are key tools, along with laboratory equipment. All research results are entered into a digital patient information system, and almost all laboratory equipment is managed with some kind of digital software. Middleware automatically checks the test results produced by the analyzers, and from the middleware they are transferred to the patient information system. Effective software solutions are also part of patient safety.
While laboratory application solutions are highly developed and facilitate the everyday work of professionals, digital services and programs between the laboratory and stakeholders, as well as the laboratory and customers, do not work as well. Numerous different patient information systems are used in Finland, which is why the doctor only sees the patient’s laboratory results that were taken within the same wellness area. A patient from Seinäjoki receiving cancer treatment at Tampere University Hospital comes to the laboratory for a sample collection with a paper referral, and their completed laboratory results are sent via fax to a doctor in Tampere. This naturally causes extra work, is slower and involves information security risks.
At my workplace, many things are still done in paper form. There are still steps of development on the horizon. Blood sample referrals from hospital wards are still printed on paper lists, but we are moving to ”mobile sampling.” This means that the sampler carries a smartphone and a small label printer, so that the test request labels for the sample tubes are printed next to the patient. This improves the traceability of samples by recording the actual sampling time and the person who took the samples on the test request labels. The mobile sampling system also provides real-time information to all samplers: how many blood samples have yet to be taken, and if anyone needs help with sampling.
In addition to the previous one, our laboratory will receive a digital orientation application this year. When a new employee comes to the laboratory, they must learn usually about ten different workstations. The clinical laboratory work standard requires that the orientation be documented and the orientation time and information about the work instructors must be included. Currently, all this information is written on paper forms. The laboratory and information management of the welfare are currently developing real-time digital orientation software where new employees, mentors, and supervisors electronically sign workplace orientations. Even if the supervisor physically would work in a different unit, he or she can monitor the progress of the orientation through the software and plan the next steps based on it. Also, the software allows to create personal orientation plan for each employee.
The impacts of digitalization in the future
Digitalization has taken a giant leap forward through new forms of artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial intelligence is not a new invention and is already present in our everyday lives in many ways. Artificial intelligence is already being used also in medicine, but the biggest breakthroughs are yet to come. I first tried to think of clever examples myself, but then I realized to ask the artificial intelligence (ChatGPT) itself:
- AI can help diagnose diseases by analyzing large amounts of patient data, imaging data (such as X-rays or MRIs), and laboratory results.
- AI can analyze patient data and genetic information to make treatment plans to the individual patient.
- AI can help healthcare professionals predicting treatment needs.
- AI can enable remote monitoring and care, allowing patients to receive help and advice remotely
- AI can help researchers analyze large amounts of data from studies, find new connections, and generate new insights that can lead to innovations in medicine.
- AI can be used to practice care situations through digital simulation.
Clinical laboratories work will also change completely as artificial intelligence solutions become a permanent part of medicine and healthcare. It would be ethically wrong to not use the potential of AI in the modern medicine, but development work is still ongoing, and the implementation of various applications will require huge and expensive investments in IT-infrastructure. Also, the potential of AI should be used for the benefit of everyone, not just in the care of private healthcare patients.
It’s fun to discuss questions related to your field with AI. However, I quickly notice that the more specific questions I ask, the less accurate the AI’s answers become. AI produces good answers when discussing general topics, but it is not yet an expert in every field.
GDPR, General Data Protection Regulation
The GDPR regulation is a necessary part of patient safety and of self-determination. The regulation sets strict requirements for patient work. According to it, data processing is always based on consent, the purpose of which is to ensure the patient’s understanding of what they are consenting to, for example in a treatment situation. GDPR regulation must be taken into account in all patient activities, because the work involves processing a lot of personal data. The regulation must also be taken into account in medical research.
Self evaluation
Laws and regulations seem to take good care of the data protection of patient work. Instead, I’m a little worried about my own privacy. Is it wise for me to share information about myself on the internet? What can that information be used for? And if I have to worry about myself, how worried should I be about my elderly parents or my young children when they are dealing with for example AI?
International crime is certainly also interested in utilizing big data. Big data analytics can for example be used in cybercrime. Social media alone produces a huge amount of information. Of course, it can be used for good purposes, such as research, but it can also be used in questionable ways. Compared to decades ago, there is relatively less reliable information available today. Anyone can fill the internet with misinformation and harmful content. Actually, you must be careful when searching for reliable information.
I commented to:
Chuong, Quang Vo
https://blogi.savonia.fi/juhaahola/
2 maaliskuun, 2025 at 11:03
Hi Jenni,
Thank you for an interesting article on digi society. It was interesting to read your take on clinical laboratory and digitalization because I have the same background. I found your article clear and easy to follow. It was quite fascinating to see how differently we approached the subject from the clinical laboratory’s point of view.
4 toukokuun, 2025 at 20:47
Thank you for your text – it clearly illustrates the importance of digitalization in modern laboratory medicine. It’s evident that digital solutions have significantly improved the handling of test results, data transfer, and patient safety. At the same time, you highlight a crucial challenge: the lack of system compatibility and reliance on manual processes still slow down workflows and pose information security risks. It’s great to hear that your workplace is adopting mobile sampling and a digital orientation application – these are concrete steps toward more efficient and safer operations. Digital solutions should be developed in balance, both for internal laboratory processes and external collaboration.
31 toukokuun, 2025 at 15:59
Thank you very much your intersting article. I loved read your digitalisation experienses in a clinical laboratory. In your loboratory digitalisation is highly developed. I am a home nurse. In my work I take tests in homes. In homes I take for examble blood tests, urine tests, stool tests. Health center laboratory is our partner. If home taken test does not meet standars laboratory assistant take contackting us.
13 heinäkuun, 2025 at 22:05
Thanks for a great and insightful blog post.
It provides a fascinating look into a world most of us never get to see; the real day-to-day operations of a clinical laboratory.
Compelling piece 🙂 .
17 heinäkuun, 2025 at 18:22
I wasn’t too familiar with the current state of digitalization in laboratory medicine. Hopefully, we can move towards a paperless future in that field as well. It’s really a pity that Finland – with a population equivalent to a single London neighborhood – has so many different patient and customer information systems in use. As you Jenni mentioned, this can lead to different kind of delays or extra work due to unnecessary examinations or duplicate prescriptions, which in turn causes lower quality in treatment, potential patient suffering, and increased workload for staff.
I was impressed by both digitalization examples your workplace is planning to implement. Mobile sampling increases transparency regarding staff workload and supports better shift scheduling. In addition, the orientation application is a great example of how flexibility can be added to employees’ work while allowing for remote supervision.
10 elokuun, 2025 at 10:46
I wasn’t too familiar with the current state of digitalization in laboratory medicine. Hopefully, we can move towards a paperless future in that field as well. It’s really a pity that Finland – with a population equivalent to a single London neighborhood – has so many different patient and customer information systems in use. As you Jenni mentioned, this can lead to different kind of delays or extra work due to unnecessary examinations or duplicate prescriptions, which in turn causes lower quality in treatment, potential patient suffering, and increased workload for staff.
I was impressed by both digitalization examples your workplace is planning to implement. Mobile sampling increases transparency regarding staff workload and supports better shift scheduling. In addition, the orientation application is a great example of how flexibility can be added to employees’ work while allowing for remote supervision.
8 syyskuun, 2025 at 16:17
This was very nicely described how the clinical laboratory sector has become digitalized in your blog.
Getting laboratory results from analyzers to the patient involves various steps. The most important of these steps is certainly quality control, which takes place through automation mostly. Sometimes manual operation is also required.
You highlight the need for continuous development and training in clinical laboratory work. And indeed this requires different professional groups. You also described shortly disadvantages and problems and paper hasn`t been completely eliminated either.
I agree that artificial intelligence should benefit everyone and its misuse should be prevented effectively. It`s correct, that the answers produced by AI must be evaluated very critically, as it is not yet sufficiently developed. In the future, AI will be used more and more in the clinical laboratory sector and it`s very interesting how the workflow changes.
8 lokakuun, 2025 at 05:16
You described the digital changes in the laboratory sector well and what problems there are today, when different laboratories use their own systems.
You said that you still use paper forms, for example, for orientation, and when a patient comes to you from another laboratory for a sample collection. This is certainly still the case in many places, as it is in ours. It is great that you are developing digital orientation forms. We should also think about this. The transformation of the laboratory sector from paper forms and manual entries to digital format promotes patient safety and prevents the possibility of human errors.
This also promotes sustainable development and promotes green values, when all data is stored in information systems in the future. This way, paper archives can be dispensed with and space, paper waste and nature can be saved. All of this, of course, requires good information security and data protection, as you wrote.
Your attention to artificial intelligence was good, that it is not yet an expert in all fields. Your attention to searching for reliable information on the internet was good, that you have to be careful with it. Anyone can share information, and it can also be false information.