Finding the Cure for Pathology Data Management Challenges: Pathology Case Study | OQLIS Data Analytics
Finding the Cure for Pathology Data Management Challenges
with OQLIS at the Namibia Institute of Pathology
The Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) is a state-owned enterprise, responsible for providing pathology services across Namibia. With 38 laboratories serving over 300 health facilities nationwide, NIP processes vast amounts of sensitive medical data daily. Their operations generate big pathology data annually, supporting over 4 million yearly tests and monitoring over a million requisitions. For this esteemed organisation, ensuring accurate, secure, and timely data management is paramount.
The Challenges:
Despite their critical role, NIP faced significant challenges in managing their data:
- Data Autonomy: The sensitive nature of pathology and medical data requires strict adherence to data sovereignty rules. Their existing solution relied on a U.S.-based data center, causing concerns about data security and compliance with local regulations.
- Performance Issues: Reporting on their data was cumbersome and slow. The previous international BI platform struggled to handle its vast data volumes, resulting in delays and inefficiencies. Quarterly reporting required intense manual effort, with data time-consumingly extracted into Excel for analysis.
- High Costs: The licensing fees for the previous platform exceeded 2 million NAD annually, a significant investment for a solution that couldn’t meet their performance or compliance needs.


- Melvin April, Head of Business Application Support, NIP
The Solution:
NIP partnered with OQLIS to transform its data analytics and reporting capabilities. After a seamless demonstration and a three-week proof-of-concept, OQLIS deployed an on-premise solution tailored to NIP’s unique needs. The implementation included:
- Data Autonomy Assurance: OQLIS installed their platform within NIP’s network on-premise, ensuring no data left the country or even their internal environment. The servers were non-public-facing, guaranteeing complete control over sensitive data.
- High-Performance Data Warehouse: OQLIS implemented a high-speed analytical data warehouse, enabling rapid reporting and analysis of their operational data.
- Custom ETL with Unify: Using OQLIS’s Unify feature, custom ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes were established, extracting and synchronising data seamlessly from production systems to the analytical environment.
The Impact:
The OQLIS solution transformed NIP’s operations, delivering measurable benefits:
- Efficiency Gains: Automated reports now sync data continuously, eliminating the need for manual extraction and analysis. This has saved immeasurable hours for NIP’s staff.
- Cost Savings: By replacing the previous solution, NIP avoided millions in annual licensing fees, significantly reducing their operational costs.
- Enhanced Decision-Making: Real-time unlimited user access to over 30 dynamic dashboards empowers NIP’s leadership to make informed decisions. Business-critical metrics, such as inventory management across 50+ sites, are now monitored with precision.
- Scalability: The platform already processes half a billion rows of data daily, which means NIP can scale its big data analytics as its operations grow.
- Data Security and Compliance: With all data housed securely on-premise, NIP meets stringent data sovereignty requirements, enhancing trust and reliability.
Key Success Metrics:
- 50+ healthcare sites integrated
- 30+ dynamic dashboards actively used
- Over 4 million tests analyzed annually
- Half a billion rows of data are processed daily
- Significant cost savings of over 2 million NAD per year
“Working with OQLIS has been phenomenal. Their ability to answer our questions, solve our problems, and deliver a powerful, customisable platform has transformed how we operate. Business decisions are now informed by real-time data, and we’re excited about the future, especially with OQLIS’s AI and IoT capabilities.” – Melvin April, Head of Business Application Support, NIP
Conclusion: The partnership between NIP and OQLIS exemplifies the power of innovative data analytics in healthcare. By leveraging OQLIS’s expertise and technology, NIP has overcome longstanding challenges, reduced costs, and improved operational efficiency. With plans to integrate AI and IoT in the near future, NIP is poised to remain at the forefront of healthcare innovation in Namibia.