Digital technology underpins everything we do in laboratory medicine – yet many of the systems we rely on every day remain underutilised and their potential is not fully understood by laboratory staff. New developments in digital technology such as AI have the potential to influence laboratory medicine in the future.

This one-day event will explore how laboratory IT systems work and how they can be utilised to support clinical decision-making, demand optimisation and safe, effective service delivery. The day will also showcase locally developed digital innovations and highlight the work of the LabMed AI and Informatics Specialist Interest Group. 

The meeting will help give attendees the knowledge and confidence to engage with current digital systems and future developments. 

This meeting will help you: 

  • Better understand the role and configuration of key laboratory IT systems, including LIMS and electronic requesting platforms. 
  • Recognise how national guidance (e.g. GIRFT, minimum retesting intervals) can be implemented digitally to support demand optimisation.
  • Understand core pathology IT terminology and data flows.

  • Apply practical examples of electronic decision support, logic rules and workflow design to their own services.

  • Appreciate how AI, informatics and locally developed tools can enhance quality, efficiency and clinical impact.

Target audience 

This meeting is aimed at: 

  • Clinical scientists, consultant clinical scientists and chemical pathologists who are not IT experts but who want to understand this area
  • Pathology service leads and managers
  • Laboratory professionals with an interest in IT, informatics, AI or digital innovation

Agenda

  1. 9:30am

    Registration

  2. 9:50am

    Welcome

    • Dan Turnock, consultant clinical biochemist, York Hospital
  3. 10:00am

    The pathology information lifecyle: from data silos to integrated networks

    • Craig Webster, consultant clinical scientist, director of pathology, Birmingham & Solihull (BSOL) Pathology Network
  4. 10:30am

    How the Order Comms plays a vital role in maximising the potential of a LIMS deployment

    • Elizabeth Mullen, consultant clinical biochemist, Northumbria NHS Foundation Trust
    • Hannah Bacon
  5. 11:00am

    Coffee break

  6. 11:15am

    MRI implementation in Order Comms/LIMS

    • Chris Duff
  7. 11:45am

    Streamlining clinical workflows in LIMS: high-value improvements to authorisation and decision support

    • Sarah Curtis
  8. 12:15pm

    Why coding matters: Informatics essentials for general pathologists

    • Karen Mitchell, consultant chemical pathologist, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, NHS Grampian
  9. 12:45pm

    Lunch

  10. 1:50pm

    DIY automation: efficiency gains through small-scale, custom innovations

    • Lorenz Becker, senior clinical scientist, Royal Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
  11. 2:20pm

    Big data, smart dashboards: monitoring and reducing disparities in laboratory medicine

    • Tejas Kalaria, consultant in chemical pathology and metabolic medicine, Black Country Pathology Services
  12. 2:50pm

    Coffee break

  13. 3:05pm

    Title TBC

    • TBC
  14. 3:35pm

    Panel discussion

  15. 4:05pm

    Close