New application dramatically reduces paperwork and the risk of errors and equipment failures

Laboratories throughout the country are highly automated operations but logging instruments checks and calibrations to meet regulatory requirements is still mostly a manual paper task. A new medical application virtually eliminates the need for paper logs and allows laboratory engineers and technicians to perform routine quality inspections and equipment maintenance using a tablet. It’s called the Assured Compliance Solution, which was developed by Kapios Health, a joint venture between Toledo-based ProMedica and Palo Alto, Calif.-based Kaonsoft.

With paper and pen documentation, laboratory compliance officers are tasked with combing through stacks of binders, time consuming reports and long audits. The application provides engineers and technicians with a secure, centralized database to record and review equipment status, access records and run reports, all in real-time from a mobile device or a desktop browser anytime, anywhere. It also ensures that regulatory activities are performed in a timely manner. If a scheduled activity is not logged as completed, the system triggers a chain of push and email alerts until the task is addressed. This ensures issues are addressed in real-time rather than at the end of the month.

“The Assured Compliance Solution maintains the integrity of the documentation and lab equipment while giving technicians more time to process samples,” said Justin Hammerling, chief executive officer of Kapios Health. “Log accuracy and task completion rates are improved as well.”

The Assured Compliance Solution is environmentally friendly, eliminating the use of paper and the cost of record storage. Regulations dictate documentation must be stored for the life of the instrument plus two years. On average, the typical lifespan of an instrument is five years. The app satisfies these regulatory requirements and improves the ease of locating historical records.

Since implementing the Assured Compliance Solution in January 2016, ProMedica Laboratories in Toledo, Ohio has achieved 100% completion on all documentation. It saves technologists approximately 13 hours each month, or 156 hours per year, in administrative tasks such as preparing, printing, distributing, managing, troubleshooting and filing maintenance logs. It also helps ProMedica Laboratories reduce and control operating costs related to printing and document storage.  

“We are already looking forward to utilizing the Assured Compliance Solution at other ProMedica Laboratories,” said Bonnie Rashleigh, ProMedica Laboratories supervisor of biochemical pathology. “It will soon move to our Michigan laboratories and should help ensure they have all of their regulatory requirements documented.”

The Assured Compliance Solution is evolving to provide more functionality. There are plans for another expansion to transform it into a multifaceted inventory management application.

“It is a small piece of technology with promise to yield big improvements both within and outside of the laboratory,” said Hammerling.

Kapios Health was established in January 2016 to leverage ProMedica’s healthcare industry knowledge and Kaonsoft’s expertise in cutting-edge mobile technology solutions, and is committed to driving innovation in healthcare.

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