Lab Sample Tracking Software

How to Get Started with Lab Sample Tracking

What is lab sample tracking?

Laboratory Sample tracking is the process of monitoring and recording the movement of laboratory, clinical or biological samples and the data associated with them. Proper lab sample tracking ensures that technicians and researchers know the what, where and wh__en of every specimen, including who collected it, where it’s stored, what tests were performed, and how results connect to the patient or study. Specimen tracking software like Orca Scan simplifies this process, providing full visibility across every step of a sample’s journey.

What are the benefits of lab sample tracking?

Effective lab sample tracking provides laboratories, clinics and research teams full oversight and control over every specimen. Key benefits include:

• Improved study outcomes and patient care by reducing errors and delays
• Better inventory and resource management, saving technician time and preventing repeat sampling
• Regulatory compliance and operational cost reduction
• Improved collaboration and efficiency across teams

With complete visibility, labs can work faster, safer and more efficiently.

What information should you capture when tracking lab samples?

Accurate lab sample tracking relies on capturing the right information for every specimen:

• Sample properties: Name, Unique ID, origin, volume and other defining characteristics
• Location: Where the sample is stored
• Activities and Tests: Experiments or procedures the sample has undergone
• Current status: Whether the sample is available, in use, archived or ready for disposal

Improve sample tracking with Orca Scan

Enhance your lab sample tracking with Orca Scan’s specimen barcode system, enabling accurate tracking across the entire sample lifecycle. Integrate with your existing systems to prevent data loss and automate workflows, while customising your data capture to meet your lab’s unique needs.

Orca Scan provides you with full visibility and accountability, helping laboratories, clinics and research teams:

• Track who handled each sample, when and why
• Reduce errors from mislabelling, lost paperwork or illegible handwriting
• Automatically decode ISBT 128 barcodes for instant, accurate data
• Receive real-time updates for reliable sample management

How to use Orca Scan for sample tracking

Orca Scan is a powerful barcode scanner that works on smartphones, tablets and hardware scanners. It reads the sample barcodes and extracts key data, including the donation and device identifier. You can also capture signatures, add photos and receive alerts if a sample has expired, or an ISBT barcode is invalid.

To get started:

1. Download the Orca Scan barcode app
2. Create a new sheet using the Sample Tracking template
3. Scan the barcode on the sample
4. Enter additional information such as sample name, type, status and location
5. Add any notes on the tests, procedures or activities the sample has been part of
6. Save and close