What Is the Best Laboratory Information System?
Written by Devy Christine Jaim
Edited and Reviewed by Reuben J C. Los Baños, Ph.D.
Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) are important tools, especially if you work in the healthcare field. They help with laboratory tasks such as tracking samples, recording test results, and sending them to doctors or other healthcare professionals. LIS helps laboratory workers reduce their workload or time consumption and improve the accuracy and efficiency of their work.
For those who work in a laboratory, it is understood how hectic this work can be, managing hundreds or possibly even thousands of specimens, coordinating complex workflows, and ensuring that results reach the doctors in a timely and accurate manner. A capable LIS simplifies this by organizing sample tracking, testing, reporting, quality control, and invoicing. LIS helps to organize everything from sample tracking to test reporting.
It is impossible to say that there is a “perfect” or “best” Laboratory Information System. The ideal LIS for you depends on your laboratory’s size, the kinds of tests performed, the lab’s operations, and the other systems you already have in place. Every laboratory has its own specific needs, which is why finding the best LIS is so important. The need for a smaller doctors’ lab differs from that of a larger university medical center or a high-output reference lab. This guide explains what an LIS is, why it is made, its major types, and how it differs from LIMS and EHR. The guide also provides guidance on the way of selecting the best system for your specific needs.
A good LIS can save time, enhance patient care, and make the laboratory run more smoothly.
Modern laboratory information systems (LIS) connect with laboratory equipment, barcode scanners, and health information management (HIM) systems to track specimens in real-time, enforce quality standards, identify unusual results, and transfer reports to data repositories. Modern systems allow for more than just processing operations.
The following are critical factors to bear in mind:
- Size and capacity of the laboratory—Small laboratories might prefer to make use of less expensive but more user-friendly options while large-volume labs would require the ability to scale and the use of automation technologies that will facilitate fast sample processing.
- Specialty of testing—Clinical chemistry, hematology, microbiology, pathology, molecular diagnostics, and forensic testing each need customized features available.
- Integration requirements—Smooth integration should be provided with respect to your EHR system, billing systems, and your devices.
- Compliance requirements and regularity—Compatible solutions are expected concerning CLIA, CAP, HIPAA, ISO 15189, and 21 CFR Part 11 when applicable.
- Deployment method— Be it cloud or on-site.
Different Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) have different features and roles.
LigoLab is a complete laboratory information system (LIS) that helps laboratories manage everything in one place. It supports different types of testing, such as pathology, clinical, and molecular labs. The track system works from start to finish, automating many processes, eliminating paper, and managing billing. It speeds up work through smart rules, artificial intelligence, and easy operations. It is accepted in labs because of its seamless integration with other systems.
Epic Break refers to the lab modules from Epic, which is a well-known electronic health record system that is used in numerous hospitals. It works well within a hospital’s main patient records system, allowing lab results to appear directly in a patient’s chart in a single, seamless process. Furthermore, it handles the collection and tracking of samples for standard blood tests and tissue samples. Hence, this close integration allows minimizing errors and saves time for doctors and laboratory staff.
Clinisys gives many laboratory services and programs that automate laboratory operations in order to improve productivity. It facilitates tracking of samples, administration of test orders, delivery of results, and the development of required quality standards. Clinisys guarantees good reporting services, as well as smooth functioning across various laboratory fields including chemistry, microbiology, etc.
What are examples of laboratory information systems?
Common examples of laboratory information systems are LigoLab, Epic Beaker, Clinisys, NovoPath, and Orchard Software.
These systems are used by hospitals, clinical laboratories, pathology laboratories, and reference laboratories to manage laboratory operations.
Different laboratories use different Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) depending on their needs. LigoLab is often used by independent clinical laboratories, while Epic Beaker is used in hospitals that use the Epic electronic health record. Clinisys is commonly used for clinical and pathology laboratories. NovoPath is more focused on anatomic pathology, and Orchard Software is commonly used for routine laboratory testing. Each system has features to fit the needs of different laboratories.
What is the main purpose of LIS?
The main purpose of a Laboratory Information System (LIS) is to:
- help laboratories manage test orders
- track specimensprocess test results,
- and send accurate laboratory information to doctors and other healthcare professionals.
With the implementation of automation, an LIS minimizes the need for manual data input, decreases transcription mistakes (which could be as high as 1 per every 1000 manually), reduces processing time, and enables specialists to concentrate on more important tasks. Additionally, it ensures that laboratories comply with numerous regulations and improve patient care by enabling them to provide test results quickly and efficiently.
A Laboratory Information System (LIS) is software that helps manage the entire laboratory testing process, from taking test orders and collecting samples to reporting test results. An LIS allows monitoring of laboratory specimens, communicates with laboratory instruments, stores data, and ensures that the laboratory operations are in line with health code regulations.
What are the types of Laboratory Information Systems?
Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) is used to meet the different needs of each laboratory. Since every laboratory has different types of testing and services, there are also different kinds of LIS available. The most common types are Anatomic Pathology Information Systems (AP-LIS), Molecular and Genetic LIS, Forensic LIS, and Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS).
AP-LIS (Anatomic Pathology Information Systems) systems are designed for use in pathology laboratories that analyze tissue specimens. These systems help keep track of biopsies, surgical samples, and cytology examinations.
When a tissue sample is delivered to a pathology lab in a hospital, AP-LIS systems such as NovoPath and LigoLab are used by clinical specialists to track its progress through each stage of the process, including slide preparation, cutting and staining, up to the generation of the diagnostic report. This makes the work faster and helps pathologists review cases more easily.
Molecular and Genetic LIS are for labs that do DNA and gene testing. They handle tests like Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing.
For example, in a cancer center, this system helps doctors check a patient’s tumor sample to choose the best treatment. Systems like NucleoLIS or Clinisys makes it easy to handle large amounts of data and send fast, correct results to doctors.
Forensic LIS is used in crime laboratories and toxicology labs. They keep strict records for evidence.
For example, in a police lab, a Forensic LIS tracks blood or DNA samples from the crime scene all the way to court. It makes sure nothing is changed so the results can be used in trials. This helps solve cases such as murders or DUI cases.
Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) are more general and often applied in research or factory labs. They monitor samples, chemicals, and test results.
For example, in a pharmaceutical company lab, LIMS helps researchers conduct pharmaceutical tests using many samples and maintains quality data.
What is the difference between LIS and laboratory information management system (LIMS)?
An LIS is designed for patient testing in hospitals and healthcare labs, while a laboratory information management system (LIMS) is made for research, industrial, environmental, and manufacturing laboratories.
LIS and LIMS are both laboratory computer systems, but they have differences.
LIS (Laboratory Information System) is commonly used in hospitals and clinical laboratories. It is more patient-focused. It helps manage test orders, patient samples, results, and sends reports to doctors or other healthcare professionals.
LIMS (Laboratory Information Management Systems) is more commonly used in research laboratories, medical companies, and testing laboratories. It is more focused on samples and experiments.
What is the difference between EHR and LIS?
An Electronic Health Record (EHR) is the patient’s full medical record. The Laboratory Information System (LIS) is the system used for lab tests and results only. However, they still work together.
The Electronic Health Record (EHR) keeps all the patient’s information in one place, such as past illnesses, medications, doctors’ notes, and test results.
The Laboratory Information System (LIS) works only in the laboratory. It handles ordering tests, tracking samples, running tests on machines, and ensuring accurate test results.
After the lab is done, the LIS will send the results to EHR so doctors can see everything easily.
Selecting the Correct Laboratory Information System (LIS)
Choosing a laboratory information system (LIS) can take between 1 to 2 years to complete, including evaluation processes and workflows in a laboratory. For proper results, take the following steps:
- Determine the laboratory needs — Follow workflows, understand current workflow challenges, and consult with laboratory directors, technologists, IT, and administration for better needs assessment.
- List the features you need — Analyze the specific features that you might want to include.
- Analyze the overall cost — Calculate the included objectives: licensing and maintenance of the LIS.
- Ask for demos and references — Simulate real working situations.
- Consider the implementation of LIS — Think about the plan of installation and the expected changes in the working processes.
- Analyze the vendors and support system — Find out the overall quality of the long-term plans with the vendor.
Implementation Problems and Best Practices
Some problems include employee resistance, data migration issues, interface problems, and workflow disruptions. Successful implementations involve strong executive support, as well as comprehensive training and optimization.
Upcoming Developments in Laboratory Information Systems
Changes in Laboratory Information Systems are happening very quickly. The role of artificial intelligence and machine learning in predictive analytics, automated approval of test results, and defect identification has expanded. Digital pathology and whole slide imaging are now common practices that require broader image management capabilities in these systems. Cloud technology is giving a chance for faster upgrades and unlimited access to the software. FHIR standards and open APIs are improving interoperability. Patient portals and support of consumer-oriented testing will be in great demand.
The issue of cybersecurity stays crucial as the number of threats to data keeps growing.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is very important to choose the right Laboratory Information System (LIS). There is no “best LIS,” but there are appropriate and right LIS. The right system really depends on laboratory size, what type of tests you do, your workflow, and how well it will connect with other systems like Electronic Health Record (EHR).
A good Laboratory Information System (LIS) helps laboratory workers save time, reduce manual mistakes, track samples properly, and send quick and accurate results to the doctors. Whether your laboratory does routine blood tests, anatomic pathology, molecular genetics, forensic work, or research, there is a right LIS or LIMS that can make the process smoother and more efficient.
Overall, investing in the right LIS can improve productivity, support a good quality of patient care, and help the laboratories follow healthcare rules more easily. It connects the laboratory work directly to the doctors and improves the whole healthcare system.
Take time to understand what the laboratory needs before choosing. The right LIS can make a big positive difference in your work and the quality of service to the patients.
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