AIIMS Introduces SmartLab for Comprehensive Laboratory Testing Services

SmartLab, equipped to manage nearly 100 test parameters under one roof, prioritises delivering high-quality services focusing on rapid turn-around and cost efficiency.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi has unveiled SmartLab, a state-of-the-art, end-to-end total laboratory automation platform housed in the new RAK Outpatient Department (OPD) block.

Operating under the Department of Laboratory Medicine, this cutting-edge facility promises to offer a comprehensive range of laboratory testing services, including haematology, biochemistry, coagulation, serology, endocrinology, and various immunoassays.

With a capacity of nearly 100 test parameters available under one roof, SmartLab aims to deliver world-class quality services with a focus on minimal turn-around time and cost efficiency.

Operating 24/7, the facility processes 5,000 to 6,000 samples per day, covering approximately 80,000 to 90,000 analytes daily. Integrated into the hospital's operations, it handles samples from the OPD and Inpatient Department loads originating from CNC, NCA, MCH, and Surgery blocks.

The SmartLab operates as a paperless facility that exclusively accepts electronic test requests through the eHospital system.

Electronic reports are generated and made accessible via the eHospital platform or the ors.gov.in portal post-authentication. Approximately 50% of the reports are available within a swift 4-hour window from sample receipt, with over 90% made available within the same day, ensuring timely access to critical information.

Dr Sudip Kumar Datta, additional professor and Head of the Department of Laboratory Medicine at AIIMS, highlighted the facility's commitment to accessibility, especially for older people and those from marginalised backgrounds.

Medical staff within hospital wards assist in accessing reports for patients, challenging the misconception that all processes are entirely digital. During OPD visits, reports are readily available with attending doctors and integrated into the patient's file for easy access.

Dr Datta emphasised the accessibility of services at AIIMS, dispelling the notion that special connections are necessary for treatment. Patients can easily register at AIIMS and access all the required tests and treatments free of cost and within a timely manner, ensuring transparency and equality in healthcare services.

The SmartLab actively participates in External Quality Assurance programs, ensuring stringent quality control and efficient inventory management. The facility is also working towards securing NABL accreditation.

The MD Laboratory Medicine program at AIIMS embodies an integrated diagnostic approach, training future diagnosticians in Quality Management, Automation, Artificial Intelligence, Diagnostic Stewardship, and Laboratory Economics, fostering a skilled cohort for the future of diagnostics.

In another development, in November 2023, AIIMS Delhi initiated offering a free-of-cost rapid cardiac MRI service for patients with thalassemia. This service, which assesses the amount of iron deposition in the cardiac muscle, can be completed in just eight minutes, transforming how thalassemia patients are screened and monitored.