The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) aims to promote public health laboratories through quality laboratory practices. APHL conducted surveys of public health laboratories' Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) which found that most states have multiple LIMS, are seeking to replace aging systems, and exchange data through various methods with limited compatibility. APHL is working with partners to develop interoperable electronic laboratory data exchange networks.

1. Doug Drabkowski
Director of Strategic Initiatives and Research
The Association of Public Health Laboratories
2025 M Street, NW, Suite 550
Washington, DC 20036
www.aphl.org

2. APHL’s Vision and Mission
A Healthier World Through Quality
Laboratory Practice
The mission of APHL is to promote the role of public
health laboratories in support of national and global
objectives, and to promote policies and programs
which assure continuous improvement in the quality of
laboratory practice

3. Core Functions of Public Health
Laboratories
 Disease Prevention, Control and Surveillance
 Integrated Data Management
 Reference and Specialized Testing
 Environmental Health and Protection
 Food Safety
 Lab Improvement, Regulation and Policy
Development
 Emergency Response
 Public Health Related Research
 Training and Education
 Partnerships and Communication

4. Integrated Data Management
• Serve as focal point for the accumulation, blending
and dissemination of scientific information in
support of public health programs
• Provide for a statewide disease reporting network
• Linkage to national database systems
• Public health analysis and policy decisions
• Standardization of laboratory data formats
• Serve as epidemiology resource

5. Vision Statement
“LIMS Meeting 2002”
“ A national electronic laboratory data and
information exchange network of member PHLs
working together to ensure comparability,
compatibility and interoperability of Laboratory
Information Management (LIM) systems. A state
LIM system would be integrated within the state
laboratory, would include all public health testing
and would interface with local health department,
hospitals, and private laboratories as well.”

6. LIMS 2003 Survey Facts
 43 States/Territories responded (81%)
 States/Territories may have multiple LIMS
running in one PH laboratory (74% of labs
are employing more than 1 system)
 Respondents have had their LIMS in place
for an average of 7.63 years

7. States actively seeking to replace their LIMS
between Oct. 2003 & June 2004
42%
No
Yes
58%

9. LIMS Vendors 2002
Other
HP
Orchard
EPIC
CDC
Neometrics
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Re s ponse s

10. LIMS Vendors 2003
LIMS Vendors 2003
Thermo LabSystems
Sysware Healthcare Systems
StarLIMS
Perkin Elmer
Northwest Analytical
Neometrics
Natus
Misys/Sunquest
MMgmt Systems
LabVantage
HP/AGILENT
Epic Systems
Dade Behring
Cortex
Computer Information Systems, Oregon
Commercial Vendor
Cerner
Accrediting Authority Management System
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
# Responses

11. Percentage of States using multiple LIMS
5%
23%
21%
No system
1 system
2-3 systems
4-8 systems
51%

12. How many State LIMS are PHIN “compliant”?
17%
No Yes
83%

13. Methods of Data Exchange used by PHLs
2003
typed reports
SQL queries
phone
paper report
ODBC
mail
LAN
internet
handwritten
FTP
flat file
fax
e-mail
diskette
ASCII
none
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Responses*
* Original data broken out into above categories

16. Participation with PHDSC
 Develop electronic messaging capabilities for
LIMS
 Address diverse PHL programs needs including
bioterrorism, genetic diseases, environmental
quality, radiation monitoring, food safety,
newborn screening and chronic diseases.
 Update and maintain coding standards specific to
laboratory nomenclature