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How to Connect Africa LIS (ALIS) with LabXpert Automation in Uganda

Also known as BLIS-Uganda, Africa LIS (ALIS) is a Laboratory Information Management System deployed in over 300 public health facilities across Uganda.

LabXpert Automation integrates with ALIS via an Application Programming Interface (API), enabling automated data exchange between laboratory machines and the LIS.

⚠️ Important: Ensure ALIS is updated to the latest version that supports this integration. Contact the ALIS technical team if you're unsure.

🔗 Integration Features​

  1. Register laboratory machines in ALIS via Automation
  2. Map machine parameters to ALIS test types and result fields
  3. Automatically upload completed results from machines
  4. Retrieve test orders for bidirectional machine communication

🖥️ Prerequisites​

  • LabXpert Automation must be installed on a PC on the same local network as the ALIS server.
  • You must have access to the ALIS server IP address and, optionally, credentials for ALIS database access.

⚙️ Connecting to ALIS​

Step 1: Identify the ALIS IP Address​

  • Locate the local network IP address for ALIS (e.g. 192.168.x.x).
  • This address is used to connect Automation to the ALIS API.

Step 2: Register ALIS in LabXpert Automation​

  1. Navigate to the Systems section in Automation.

  2. Click the ➕ Add button.

  3. Select ASLM-LIS and click Next.

  4. Enter your ALIS URL in the following format:

    http://ALIS_IP_ADDRESS/automation

    Replace ALIS_IP_ADDRESS with the actual IP of the ALIS server.

  5. (Optional) Provide ALIS database username and password to enable ETL or deeper integration.

  6. Click Complete to register the system.

You will be redirected to a System Details page for configuration and mapping.

🔄 Mapping Test Parameters​

Mapping test parameters aligns machine result fields with the corresponding test definitions in ALIS.

This ensures that results sent from the machine are correctly recorded in ALIS under the appropriate test names and fields.

Common Mapping Examples​

🧪 Chemistry Machines​

  • Liver Function Tests (LFT)
  • Renal Function Tests (RFT)
  • Lipid Profile
  • C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

🩸 CBC Machines​

  • Complete Blood Count (CBC)
  • Hemoglobin (Hb)
  • Reticulocyte Count

🧬 Immunology Machines​

  • HIV 1/2
  • Hepatitis B/C
  • HCG (Pregnancy Test)

💡 You can access the mapping interface from the machine or system detail pages in the Automation app.