How the Future of Healthcare Innovation is Being Shaped Today

I recently came across a MedCity News article that discussed what healthcare organizations must do to cater to new consumers and remain relevant in a post-pandemic world.

First I’ll summarize the article “Digital Bloomers, Hivemind Investors, Metaverse Citizens, and TikTokers: How the Future of Innovation is Being Shaped Today,” and then I’ll offer a few examples where clinical labs and pathology groups are putting innovation into practice. 

Article Summary - Key Points 

Emerging Personas Post-Pandemic:

• New consumer and employee groups (e.g., work-from-home young graduates, and social media-driven investors) are shaping healthcare’s future.
• Understanding these new personas is essential for healthcare organizations to remain relevant.

Evolving Consumer Behavior:

• Consumers increasingly rely on alternative therapies (e.g., ketamine for mental health), doulas for childbirth support, and health-tracking wearables.
• There’s growing frustration with insurers and traditional care models that are slow to recognize new, effective treatments.

Influence of Social Media and Distrust in Institutions:

• Patients and investors gather information from influencers and peers online rather than institutional experts.
• Disinformation and “hivemind investing” (e.g., Reddit-driven stock decisions) reflect the power of social platforms.
• Healthcare companies must learn to address disinformation and engage consumers where they seek information.

Digital Transformation and the Metaverse:

• “Digital bloomers” (older adults new to online services) and “citizens of the metaverse” (eager adopters of virtual experiences) highlight expanding digital care opportunities.
• Healthcare must embrace telehealth, virtual reality-based therapies, and other digital modalities.

Shifting Workforce Dynamics:

• Young employees entering the workforce have never worked in traditional office settings, preferring remote or hybrid models.
• Employers must understand and adapt to these new workforce preferences for retention and engagement.
• Automation and skill transitions (blue-collar to white-collar) will reshape labor markets, requiring new strategies from healthcare organizations.

Strategic Imperative for Healthcare Organizations:

• Continuously updating operating models and embracing innovation is critical.
• Companies must align with these new consumer and employee values, preferences, and behaviors to maintain relevance and success in a post-pandemic world.

Healthcare Organizations Must Commit to Innovation 

The article highlighted how various factors have come together to shape consumer behavior and called on the healthcare industry to understand this and commit to innovation to keep pace with changing values and preferences and remain aligned with the consumer. 

It’s time for organizations across the healthcare continuum to invest in the latest technology (like AI, telehealth, and wearable sensors) and nurture an internal culture that encourages creativity, collaboration, and a willingness to pilot new approaches. By doing so, they set a strong example of what it means for healthcare organizations actively committed to innovation, pushing the boundaries of traditional care delivery, and continuously reimagining how best to serve patients and providers in an ever-evolving healthcare landscape.

How LigoLab Helps its Customers Meet Today’s Laboratory Challenges 

According to LigoLab CEO Suren Avunjian, modern medical laboratories must partner with innovative lab vendors to successfully deal with today’s challenges and satisfy the consumer. That’s because the industry faces record-setting test volumes, continually shrinking reimbursements, complex payer requirements, intensifying competition, rising supply costs, and staffing shortages. 

To remain relevant and profitable amid these pressures, labs must move beyond outdated legacy systems and embrace cutting-edge technology, optimized workflows, and flexible, value-driven partnerships. In this sense, true innovation focuses on delivering tangible improvements in productivity, compliance, scalability, and long-term relevance.

LigoLab, a medical LIS (laboratory information system, LIS system) company since 2006, is a company that exemplifies this spirit of meaningful innovation. Its origins trace back to firsthand insights gained by two of its three co-founders, who previously helped scale a lab that ultimately became California’s largest privately held operation. 

After its sale to a national lab, the founders carried forward critical lessons that still resonate today. Instead of seeking private equity funding, they forged an unconventional path centered on direct customer support and pre-orders. This customer-centric approach provided the freedom to invest heavily in research and development without external investor pressures. As a result, LigoLab continues to dedicate over half of its revenue to R&D, enabling rapid laboratory information system software feature deployment and consistent improvements tailored to real-world lab needs.

Learn More: The Genesis of LigoLab:  What Started as a Shared Vision Between Friends Has Become the Definitive Information System Choice for Modern Laboratories

Examples of Customer-Focused Laboratory Information System Innovation

This ongoing commitment to customer-focused innovation manifests in several ways. 

First, LigoLab’s development team releases three to four new LIS software features daily. This continual refinement of the all-in-one medical LIS and lab revenue cycle management (lab RCM) platform ensures that partner labs stay ahead of emerging challenges. 

Moreover, LIgoLab understands its customers and aligns with them and their business interests. For example, rather than charging for every upgrade, LigoLab provides free LIS software enhancements, unlimited seats, and unlimited modules. This policy aligns perfectly with the LIS lab company's belief in forming genuine partnerships rather than transactional client-vendor relationships. Labs benefit from an evolving informatics platform that can adapt to industry changes without being trapped by licensing fees or outdated versions.

Learn More: Stability and Performance: The Two Most Important Aspects of a Modern Laboratory Operation

Three Dedicated LIS Software Environments Allow for Continuous Innovation

To manage innovation effectively and at its current pace, LigoLab employs a robust infrastructure of three dedicated software environments: Testing, Training, and Production. 

The Testing environment is where new features and updates are first developed and validated. This ensures that all customers can access the latest capabilities without additional cost. 

Next, the Training environment allows labs (at their own pace) to experiment with these updates, conduct thorough testing, and train staff. 

Only after careful verification do labs proceed to the Production environment, ensuring a seamless, disruption-free upgrade to their live laboratory information systems. This method maintains platform stability and lets customers fully understand and harness new functionalities before going live.

Another key advantage is LigoLab’s dedication to LIS system compliance and regulatory standards. When government mandates or payer requirements shift, the LIS company swiftly adapts its platform, rolling out required modifications at no cost to customers. This proactive stance helps labs stay compliant, maintain accreditation, and enhance patient care standards without incurring unexpected expenses. LigoLab’s support team also uses the LIS system’s inherent flexibility to craft creative solutions for complex operational challenges, further improving the customer experience.

True Innovation Leads to LIS System Excellence

LigoLab’s customer-driven philosophy and strategic approach to innovation set it apart from other laboratory information system companies that often rebrand routine updates as “innovations.” True innovation, as Avunjian emphasized, means reimagining how laboratories operate, anticipating future demands, and ensuring that technology solves current problems and positions labs for sustainable growth. By putting substantial resources into developing and refining its informatics platform, offering free and frequent upgrades, supporting regulatory compliance, and using a structured LIS software release process, LigoLab raises the bar for LIS system excellence.

The model highlights that genuine innovation emerges when an LIS company views customers as true partners. This approach ensures that improvements are meaningful, relevant, and aligned with the evolving healthcare landscape. As a result, LigoLab helps labs thrive, transforming them into modern, profitable, and forward-looking operations.