LabAnswer and OpGen Implement the STARLIMS Cloud Platform to Support OpGen’s CLIA Certified Clinical Services Laboratory in Under Four Months

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LabAnswer’s domain knowledge, coupled with their technical expertise, and dedication to meeting the project goals made them the perfect partner for OpGen.

Houston, Texas (PRWEB) August 12, 2013

LabAnswer announces the implementation of a cloud based, HIPAA compliant system to support OpGen’s newly launched clinical services laboratory. This CLIA certified laboratory will focus on developing a best-in-class portfolio of genetic tests and analysis services for the surveillance and identification of healthcare associated infections (HAIs) and human pathogens. Next generation DNA and genetic analysis technologies generate a tremendous amount of sequencing data that benefits significantly from automated scientific data management that a LIMS system provides. See OpGen press release: http://www.opgen.com/news/clinical-lab.

OpGen contacted LabAnswer for assistance in implementing a system to support the launch of their new clinical laboratory services. With a requirement to have a system up and running in less than four months, OpGen selected LabAnswer because of its depth and breadth of experience in providing complete end-to-end service solutions with capabilities to take a system’s implementation from strategy and planning, through solution implementation and then ongoing support. LabAnswer brought to bear subject matter experts with hands on experience running labs, superb design and requirements gathering skills, configuration expertise, and project management and execution methodologies to make this a reality.

LabAnswer and OpGen identified the STARLIMS Cloud Platform as the enterprise information system to support the laboratory. The STARLIMS application provides configurable functionality to support business functions required by the clinical lab. Deploying via a cloud platform provides many benefits including no upfront capital or hardware costs, secure infrastructure, data privacy controls, and flexibility needed to rapidly develop and deploy an application. As business demand for the clinical services increases, the cloud platform will also be able to continuously scale without hardware upgrade projects.

At the onset, LabAnswer and OpGen formulated both strategic and tactical plans to deliver highest value functionality within strict business deadlines. In a strategic planning capacity, LabAnswer defined implementation scope by defining vision, goals and objectives, creating business process workflows and eliciting requirements. After the initial scope was defined, the teams worked together to prioritize critical system and high value functions to be implemented in the LIMS, and relegated lesser value functions to an enhancement queue. In parallel, the STARLIMS Cloud Platform was setup to support the configuration, testing and deployment phases of the project. LabAnswer developed the system in an iterative prototyping model that kept the OpGen team constantly engaged in the evolution of the system. As the system development entered into the final phase, LabAnswer executed the training and data prep for system go live in July.

"LabAnswer was instrumental to the successful launch of OpGen’s Clinical Services Laboratory, especially given our compressed timeline," commented Vadim Sapiro, CIO of OpGen, "LabAnswer’s domain knowledge, coupled with their technical expertise, and dedication to meeting the project goals made them the perfect partner for OpGen."

"OpGen made a great partner for this implementation as they understood the value a LIMS can bring to their business. They collaborated with the LabAnswer team to leverage the STARLIMS platform to its fullest value and were actively involved every step of the way. We met critical business goals together," Brian J. Brunner of LabAnswer.

About LabAnswer

Combining science, laboratory, regulatory and information technologies, LabAnswer is the leading laboratory informatics consultancy. It has the people, processes, methodologies, IP and experience to deliver comprehensive scientific data management solutions. As an independent third party, LabAnswer offers unbiased, multi-vendor and multi-application expertise and support in order to provide a single source for all laboratory informatics needs.

LabAnswer specializes in helping companies strategize, architect, implement and support their scientific data management and laboratory automation projects. LabAnswer performs significant laboratory automation work in pharmaceuticals, bio-pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and life sciences research laboratories spanning research, development and manufacturing/QC operations. With the largest team of informatics consultants in North America, LabAnswer has architected, implemented, deployed and/or supported hundreds of major scientific informatics systems across more than a thousand laboratories.

For more information about LabAnswer – Laboratory Informatics, please call 888-419-5222 or visit http://www.LabAnswer.com/.

About OpGen, Inc.

OpGen, Inc. is a leading innovator in providing rapid, accurate genomic and DNA analysis systems and services. The company’s ARGUS® Whole Genome Mapping System, GenomeBuilder™ and MapIt® Services provide high-resolution, whole genome maps for sequence assembly and finishing, strain typing and comparative genomics in the life sciences market. OpGen’s powerful technology dramatically improves the quality of data and time-to-results by providing sequence information from single DNA molecules more rapidly and less expensively than previously possible. The company is dedicated to positively influencing individual healthcare outcomes, advancing scientific research and enhancing public health by delivering precise, actionable information and results to customers in the life science and healthcare communities. OpGen’s customers include leading genomic research centers, biodefense organizations, academic institutions, clinical research organizations and biotechnology companies.

For more information, visit http://www.OpGen.com/.

About STARLIMS

STARLIMS, a product line of Abbott Informatics Solutions, provides leading Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) solutions and has served customers around the world for more than 27 years. STARLIMS products help improve the reliability of laboratory sampling processes, support compliance with global regulatory requirements and industry standards, and provide comprehensive reporting, monitoring and analysis capabilities. With 12 development and support centers throughout the world, STARLIMS solutions are used in laboratories across multiple industries and disciplines including medical diagnostics, forensics, food safety, manufacturing, petrochemical, public health, and life sciences.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare company devoted to improving life through the development of products and technologies that span the breadth of healthcare. With a portfolio of leading, science-based offerings in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic pharmaceuticals, Abbott serves people in more than 150 countries and employs approximately 70,000 people.

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