LABS SOLUTIONS: PAPERLESS SOLUTIONS OPTIMIZES SPECIMEN CAPTURE PROCESSING FOR NMS LABS

Located in Horsham, Pennsylvania, National Medical Services (known today as NMS Labs) is a bioanalytical toxicology laboratory recognized as a leader in esoteric clinical and forensic services.

Offering over 2,500 tests, NMS Labs provides information critical to medical care decisions, criminal cases and more. Their expertise is valued by countless laboratories, hospitals and law enforcement agencies nationwide.

For NMS Labs, Paperless Solutions previously implemented:

• OnBase by Hyland, as a Lab Content Management System (LCMS). Now, employees use OnBase to review test results.
• A compliance-friendly Litigation Packet Creation workflow that combines documents into a single PDF.

In a highly regulated lab environment, the accuracy and efficiency of specimen handling are crucial for maintaining the integrity of the testing process. NMS Labs had been struggling with a time-consuming and error-prone manual process for capturing specimen airbills, indexing requisition labels, and documenting chain of custody.

These manual tasks not only delayed specimen receipt and accessioning but also required extensive time from Toxicology Specialists for document review.

Our team was presented with a challenge: how could we streamline this highly regulated process while helping NMS Labs to become more productive and compliant?

The laboratory’s existing process included:

• Photocopying airbills, which involved stamping, signing, and physically handling documents.
• Affixing requisition labels to parcels for indexing into the OnBase system.
• Scanning documents into OnBase and manually creating a Transfer Chain of Custody (COC) document to track the specimen’s journey.
• Toxicology Review of airbills, which could take up to two minutes due to poor image quality and document legibility.

The manual process was not only time-consuming but also prone to human error, leading to delays, inconsistent documentation, and difficulties in effectively tracking specimens.

To address these challenges, Paperless Solutions implemented a specimen capture automation software, specifically designed to streamline the airbill capture process, enhance chain of custody documentation, and improve efficiency.

The Airbill Capture App automated key steps and integrated seamlessly with the laboratory’s existing OnBase system.

Key Features of the New Process:

• Automated Airbill Capture: The app captures the airbill number and carrier directly from the airbill label, eliminating the need for photocopying or manual entry.
• Date, Time, and User Tracking: The app automatically logs the user, date, and time of capture, ensuring accurate audit trails.
• Enhanced Image Quality: Airbills are captured in high-resolution color for improved readability, reducing the time needed for review.
• Chain of Custody Documentation: The app captures the chain of custody information directly, eliminating the need for a separate Transfer COC document.
• Error Correction: If any errors are detected, the app allows users to quickly modify the captured information before finalizing the record.

The Airbill Capture App was a game-changer, transforming a time-consuming and error-prone manual process into a streamlined, automated workflow. NMS Labs now saves hundreds of hours per year through their vastly improved specimen handling process.

The success of this automation project not only improved operational efficiency but also boosted staff satisfaction.

“The feedback I got from the group is 10-30 seconds [for the Toxicology Review],” commented Forensic Toxicologist Sherri Kacinko, “Just the fact that it loads in OnBase so much faster is a huge time-saver. Seriously, one of the best improvement projects ever!”

The success of the Airbill Capture App exemplifies how leveraging technology can significantly improve laboratory operations and help teams focus on higher-value tasks.

Sherri Kacinko, Forensic Toxicologist
NMS Labs

• OnBase Enterprise Content Services System

• Manual stamping, signing and physical handling of documents.
• Poor image quality and legibility complicating the stringent chain of custody for specimens.
• Time-consuming Toxicology Reviews.

• Multiple steps shaved from the parcel receipt and chain of custody processes.
• 1528 employee hours of work eliminated per year.