Lab type
Histopathology
From formalin pot to authorised report, with every step on the record.
Who it is for
Cellular pathology departments, independent histopathology laboratories and small teaching-hospital services that need a proper case record without a six-figure LIMS contract. VipLIMS suits laboratories reporting a few thousand cases a year as well as busier services that want a clean, browser-based worklist.
It is built around the way histopathology actually runs: requests arrive with incomplete clinical details, specimens split into parts and blocks, a pathologist reports over several sittings, and supplementary results arrive after the first report has gone out. VipLIMS keeps all of that on one case, with one number and one history.
A day with VipLIMS
- A surgical team at a referring hospital submits a request through the referrer portal: patient details, clinical history and a colon biopsy in one pot. The request is waiting in reception before the specimen arrives.
- Reception checks the pot against the request and receives the case. VipLIMS assigns the next number in your pattern, for example
H26-001234, and starts the turnaround clock. - A biomedical scientist records the macroscopy and block key. Blocks and any additional stains or immunohistochemistry are added to the case, so the pathologist can see what is pending.
- The case appears on the pathologist's worklist with its TAT status. They write microscopy and a conclusion in the report sections set up for your laboratory, complete a structured dataset where the case needs one, and add SNOMED codes.
- The pathologist authorises the report. VipLIMS records who signed it and when, and the case leaves the open worklist.
- A PDF report on your letterhead is produced and made available to the referrer in the portal. If an immunohistochemistry result arrives later, a supplementary report is added as a new version and the original stays on file.
What the pack sets up
Ready on day one, editable afterwards
Case types and numbering
| Case type | Example number | Routine target | Urgent target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small biopsy | H26-000042 | 7 days | 2 days |
| Resection or excision | HR26-000042 | 7 days | 4 days |
| Frozen section | FS26-00042 | 1 h | 1 h |
| Referral or second opinion | HC26-00042 | 10 days | 3 days |
| Research or audit | HX26-00042 | 21 days | 7 days |
Example tests
| Test | Unit (UCUM) | Example reference range |
|---|---|---|
| Ki-67 index | % |
Report sections
- Clinical details required
- Macroscopy required
- Microscopy required
- Synoptic dataset
- Conclusion required
- Coding
- Supplementary report
Specimen types
- Endoscopic biopsy
- Needle core biopsy
- Punch or incisional biopsy
- Polypectomy
- Curettings (e.g. endometrial)
- Local excision
- Organ resection
- Lymph node
- Fresh tissue for frozen section
- Bone or calcified tissue
- Referred paraffin block
- Referred slides
Starter synoptic templates
- Generic tumour resection (starter)
- Generic tumour biopsy (starter)
Written by VipLIMS; not RCPath, ICCR or CAP datasets. Build forms for the datasets your laboratory is licensed to use.
Words your team will see
- Reporter
- Pathologist
- Sender
- Hospital
- Work item
- Case
- Subject
- Patient
- Specimen
- Specimen
- Output
- Report
Good practice built in
- A full audit trail of who received, edited, authorised and amended each case, and when.
- Turnaround targets per case type and priority, with the clock visible on every worklist so delays are seen before they become breaches.
- Versioned reports: amendments and supplementary reports never overwrite what the clinician has already read.
- Coded diagnoses using SNOMED CT (Global Patient Set built in, or your own national licence), with room for ICD-O where you hold a licence.
- Supports workflows that laboratories accredited to ISO 15189 need, including document control references, report-amendment tracking and TAT monitoring.
- Mandatory two-factor sign-in, encryption at rest and a full export of your data whenever you want it.
Questions labs ask
Do you include the RCPath, ICCR or CAP cancer datasets?
Not yet. Those datasets are copyright and need permission for electronic use. VipLIMS ships generic starter templates and a builder, so you can create structured forms from the datasets your laboratory is licensed to use.
Can we view whole-slide images inside VipLIMS?
VipLIMS links each case or slide to your own image server or viewer. It does not store or host whole-slide images itself.
Does it print cassettes and slides?
Label and barcode printing to dedicated cassette and slide printers is not available yet. Case and block identifiers can be exported for use with your existing printer software.
Is it really free?
Yes. VipLIMS is free to use and funded by donations from the laboratories that use it. There is no paid tier holding back features you need.
Try the histopathology pack
Create your laboratory, choose this pack, load the sample cases and see how it fits your work. Free, with no card.