Lab type
Clinical chemistry
Biochemistry results with the right units, ranges and flags, every time.
Who it is for
Clinical biochemistry laboratories in hospitals, clinics and independent services that need to report routine and urgent chemistry with correct units, sensible flags and a clear record of who checked what. It suits laboratories moving from paper or spreadsheets, and those whose current system is expensive to keep running.
Unit errors and missed critical results are patient-safety issues. VipLIMS stores every numeric test with a UCUM unit, a configured number of decimals and reference ranges by sex, and it flags critical results so they are acted on rather than filed.
A day with VipLIMS
- A practice orders urea and electrolytes and a lipid profile through the referrer portal. The sample is received, the request is numbered, for example
CC260118204, and the TAT clock starts. - Results are entered against the request. Calculated results such as eGFR are shown alongside the measured ones, each with its unit and reference range.
- An urgent sample from the emergency department shows a potassium of 6.9 mmol/L. VipLIMS flags it as critical; the scientist checks for haemolysis, phones the result and records the call.
- A clinical scientist reviews the day's flagged requests and adds interpretive comments where they help, for example suggesting a repeat on a fresh sample.
- The request is authorised and the PDF report is released to the requester in the portal.
- At the end of the month, TAT figures for urgent and routine work are ready to review without a separate spreadsheet.
What the pack sets up
Ready on day one, editable afterwards
Case types and numbering
| Case type | Example number | Routine target | Urgent target |
|---|---|---|---|
| General chemistry | CC260000042 | 1 day | 1 h |
| Endocrinology | EN260000042 | 3 days | 1 day |
| Urine chemistry | UC260000042 | 2 days | 4 h |
| Blood gas | BG260000042 | 1 h | 1 h |
| Drug monitoring and toxicology screen | TD260000042 | 1 day | 2 h |
Example tests
| Test | Unit (UCUM) | Example reference range |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | mmol/L | 133–146 mmol/L |
| Potassium | mmol/L | 3.5–5.3 mmol/L |
| Chloride | mmol/L | 95–108 mmol/L |
| Bicarbonate | mmol/L | 22–29 mmol/L |
| Urea | mmol/L | 2.5–7.8 mmol/L |
| Creatinine | umol/L | 45–84 µmol/L (female) + more |
| eGFR (CKD-EPI) | mL/min/{1.73_m2} | ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73 m² |
| Glucose | mmol/L | 3.5–6 mmol/L |
| HbA1c (IFCC) | mmol/mol | 20–41 mmol/mol |
| Calcium (total) | mmol/L | 2.2–2.6 mmol/L |
Reference ranges, targets and critical limits in this pack are illustrative adult examples only. Ranges depend on method, analyser and population. Every laboratory must verify and replace them with its own validated ranges (including paediatric and pregnancy ranges) before reporting.
Report sections
- Results required
- Interpretive comment
- Sample comment
Specimen types
- Serum (gel separator)
- Plasma, lithium heparin
- Plasma, fluoride oxalate
- Whole blood, EDTA
- Arterial or venous blood for gas
- Urine, random
- Urine, 24-hour collection
- Cerebrospinal fluid
Words your team will see
- Reporter
- Clinical scientist
- Sender
- Requester
- Work item
- Request
- Subject
- Patient
- Specimen
- Sample
- Output
- Report
Good practice built in
- UCUM units, LOINC codes for common analytes and a set number of decimals per test, so results look the same on screen and on paper.
- Reference ranges by sex and critical limits per test, which you verify and replace with your own before reporting.
- Turnaround targets per case type and priority, with urgent work highlighted on the worklist.
- Versioned reports and a full audit trail of entry, authorisation and amendment.
- Supports workflows that laboratories accredited to ISO 15189 need, including critical-value records, TAT monitoring and amendment tracking.
- Mandatory two-factor sign-in, encryption at rest and a full export of your data at any time.
Questions labs ask
Can we connect our chemistry analysers?
Not yet. There is no direct analyser or middleware interface at present, so results are entered on the request. Interfacing is on our roadmap.
Does VipLIMS auto-verify results?
No. Results are flagged against ranges and critical limits, and a person authorises every report. This keeps VipLIMS a records system rather than a decision-making device.
Can we report in conventional units such as mg/dL?
Yes. Each test carries its own UCUM unit, so you can configure the units your laboratory reports in. Automatic conversion between unit systems is not built in.
Are the ranges in the template safe to use?
They are illustrative adult examples only. Every laboratory must verify and replace them with its own validated ranges before reporting.
Try the clinical chemistry pack
Create your laboratory, choose this pack, load the sample cases and see how it fits your work. Free, with no card.