Laboratory Response Network

LRN and LIMSi

LRN Data Exchange – LRN Results Messenger and LRN LIMS Integration

The Laboratory Response Network (LRN) is a coordinated network of public health and other laboratories for which CDC provides standard assays and protocols for testing biological and chemical terrorism agents. Public Health Surveillance and Informatics Program Office (proposed) (PHSIPO) Division of Informatics Solutions and Operations supports the LRN by equipping its member labs to securely share data with public health partners in real time according to industry standards. This ensures the quality and availability of LRN data and decreases the time needed to detect and respond to public health threats.

LRN Results Messenger (LRN RM) is a software solution created to provide LRN labs with the immediate ability to manage and share standard laboratory data. LRN RM provides basic laboratory data management, including the ability to enter and share sample and results data. LRN RM is currently installed over 160 LRN laboratories, including 100% of the LRN's public health labs.

The LRN Laboratory Information Management System Integration (LIMSi) project is a parallel effort to LRN RM, and represents the next generation of LRN data exchange by enabling laboratories to fulfill data exchange needs for the LRN via HL7 messaging from their own systems. The advantages of the LIMSi approach include the elimination of double data entry for many labs, the ability to manage LRN data within the labs' familiar workflow and systems, the increased availability of LRN testing data for local disease surveillance, and the implementation of common data standards and messaging infrastructure that can be utilized by the lab for other public health laboratory data exchange needs.

The LRN will go live with the first three LIMSi laboratories in December 2010. These three laboratories received supplemental funding from CDC to participate in a LIMSi Pilot Project to accomplish LIMSi in 2010. The first phase of LIMSi includes all LRN Biological agents and a future iteration will include messaging LRN Chemical agents. Thirty-five additional LRN labs are also engaged in the LIMSi process.

For more information please visit the LRN internet website http://www.cdc.gov/phin/tools/lrn/index.html