METHODS FOR LABORATORY SAMPLE TRACKING AND DEVICES THEREOF

1 . A method of managing and tracking a collected laboratory sample comprising:

receiving, by a sample management computing device, a patient identifier related to the collected laboratory sample and laboratory-workflow information related to the collected laboratory sample;

obtaining, by the sample management computing device, shipment information for the collected laboratory sample based on the received patient identifier;

initiating, by the sample management computing device, a tracking process after the shipping information has been obtained, wherein the tracking process comprises:

obtaining, by the sample management computing device, location information from one or more sample preparatory stations or sample analysis stations being used to prepare or analyze the collected laboratory sample based on the received laboratory-workflow information;

obtaining, by the sample management computing device, completion information related to the laboratory-workflow information indicating that the collected laboratory sample been prepared and analyzed by all designated sample preparatory stations or sample analysis stations; and

providing, by the sample management computing device, a status of the collected laboratory sample after obtaining the shipment information, the location information, the completion information, or a combination thereof.

2 . The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein obtaining the shipment information comprises:

receiving, by the sample management computing device, a shipping notification associated with a laboratory sample collector;

obtaining, by the sample management computing device, information related to a status of the received shipping notification from a shipping provider.

3 . The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one or more sample preparatory stations or sample analysis stations involve laboratory instruments being used to prepare or analyze the collected laboratory sample.

4 . The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the collected laboratory sample is stored in a container comprising at least one of a barcode, an RFID tag, or QR code located on the container, and further wherein the location information from the one or more laboratory instruments is obtained from an RFID reader, scanner, camera, or a manual bar code reader associated with each of the one or more laboratory instruments.

5 . The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the obtained location information further comprises a time stamp.

6 . The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the one or more laboratory instruments are selected from the group consisting of a liquid handling apparatus, a mass spectometry instrument, an immunoassay instrument, a genotyping instrument, an electrophoresis instrument, a blood preparation instrument, a clinical chemistry analyzer, an NMR instrument, a refrigerator, and combinations thereof.

7 . The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein providing the status of the collected laboratory sample comprises providing an icon for display on a user device indicating one or more of the status of the collected laboratory sample, the location information, or which, if any of the sample preparatory or sample analysis stations have been completed.

8 . A sample management computing device comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory and configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory, comprising:

receiving a patient identifier related to the collected laboratory sample and laboratory-workflow information related to the collected laboratory sample;

obtaining shipment information for the collected laboratory sample based on the received patient identifier;

initiating a tracking process after the shipping information has been obtained, wherein the tracking process comprises:

obtaining location information from one or more sample preparatory stations or sample analysis stations being used to prepare or analyze the collected laboratory sample based on the received laboratory-workflow information;

obtaining completion information related to the laboratory-workflow information indicating that the collected laboratory sample been prepared and analyzed by all designated sample preparatory stations or sample analysis stations; and

providing a status of the collected laboratory sample after obtaining the shipment information, the location information, the completion information, or a combination thereof.

9 . The device of claim 8 wherein obtaining the shipment information comprises:

receiving a shipping notification associated with a laboratory sample collector;

obtaining information related to a status of the received shipping notification from a shipping provider.

10 . The device as set forth in claim 8 wherein the one or more sample preparatory stations or sample analysis stations involve laboratory instruments being used to prepare or analyze the collected laboratory sample.

11 . The device as set forth in claim 10 wherein the collected laboratory sample is stored in a container comprising at least one of a barcode, an RFID tag, or QR code located on the container, and further wherein the location information from the one or more laboratory instruments is obtained from an RFID reader, scanner, camera, or a manual bar code reader associated with each of the one or more laboratory instruments.

12 . The device as set forth in claim 11 wherein the obtained location information further comprises a time stamp.

13 . The device as set forth in claim 8 wherein the one or more laboratory instruments are selected from the group consisting of a liquid handling apparatus, a mass spectometry instrument, an immunoassay instrument, a genotyping instrument, an electrophoresis instrument, a blood preparation instrument, a clinical chemistry analyzer, an NMR instrument, a refrigerator, and combinations thereof.

14 . The device as set forth in claim 8 wherein providing the status of the collected laboratory sample comprises providing an icon for display on a user device indicating one or more of the status of the collected laboratory sample, the location information, or which, if any of the sample preparatory or sample analysis stations have been completed.

15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for providing a status of a collected laboratory sample comprising machine executable code which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving a patient identifier related to the collected laboratory sample and laboratory-workflow information related to the collected laboratory sample;

obtaining shipment information for the collected laboratory sample based on the received patient identifier;

initiating a tracking process after the shipping information has been obtained, wherein the tracking process comprises:

obtaining location information from one or more sample preparatory stations or sample analysis stations being used to prepare or analyze the collected laboratory sample based on the received laboratory-workflow information;

obtaining completion information related to the laboratory-workflow information indicating that the collected laboratory sample been prepared and analyzed by all designated sample preparatory stations or sample analysis stations; and

providing a status of the collected laboratory sample after obtaining the shipment information, the location information, the completion information, or a combination thereof.

16 . The medium as set forth in claim 15 wherein obtaining the shipment information comprises:

receiving a shipping notification associated with a laboratory sample collector;

obtaining information related to a status of the received shipping notification from a shipping provider.

17 . The medium as set forth in claim 15 wherein the laboratory workflow comprises one or more sample preparatory or sample analysis stations.

18 . The medium as set forth in claim 17 wherein the collected laboratory sample is stored in a container comprising at least one of a barcode, an RFID tag, or QR code located on the container, and further wherein the location information from the one or more laboratory instruments is obtained from an RFID reader, scanner, camera, or a manual bar code reader associated with each of the one or more laboratory instruments.

19 . The medium as set forth in claim 18 wherein the obtained location information further comprises a time stamp.

20 . The medium as set forth in claim 15 wherein the one or more laboratory instruments are selected from the group consisting of a liquid handling apparatus, a mass spectometry instrument, an immunoassay instrument, a genotyping instrument, an electrophoresis instrument, a blood preparation instrument, a clinical chemistry analyzer, an NMR instrument, a refrigerator, and combinations thereof.

21 . The medium as set forth in claim 15 wherein providing the status of the collected laboratory sample comprises providing an icon for display on a user device indicating one or more of the status of the collected laboratory sample, the location information, or which, if any of the sample preparatory or sample analysis stations have been completed.