Phase I planning for the implementation of a Laboratory Information System (LIS) in rural and northern Manitoba has been funded by Central Government. Planning will commence upon completion of the Winnipeg-focused Lab Expansion Project that is concluding this spring. The Provincial LIS will focus on the establishment of a province-wide integrated laboratory system solution to provide a unified provincial repository of laboratory results.

Currently, the Winnipeg regional lab system is supported by Delphic and the Brandon LIS is supported by Siemens. A solution to develop a unified system will need to be identified. This initiative forms part of a comprehensive lab strategy for Manitoba along with the Cadham Provincial Lab system, the Winnipeg LIS Expansion Project implementation (in progress) and Manitoba's Electronic Health Record Project, which will facilitate provision of lab results to interested and authorized parties.

Who Benefits

• Patients
• Physicians / Nurses
• Lab Technologists

Clinical Benefits

• Lab results available to providers regardless of where the patient presents, which can help reduce duplicate testing and multiple visits of patients to labs
• Facilitates reductions in turnaround time, leading to faster result-reporting to clinicians
• Builds towards the Manitoba strategy of a single electronic health record

Administrative Benefits

• A Provincial LIS solution would enable achieving regional benefits on a provincial level
• Enables the consolidation of testing at fewer sites
• Promotes effective use of limited staff resources
• Provides for utilization review to compare to similar class labs

Schedule

• The Laboratory Information System Upgrade and Expansion Project reached an exciting milestone when the final two project implementations took place, marking the completion of the Winnipeg LIS. Diagnostic Services of Manitoba’s Pathology/Cytology Program went live at the Health Sciences Centre on March 19, 2007 followed by the Pathology program at Seven Oaks General Hospital on April 23, 2007.