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Best Pathology Lab Reporting Software - 2025 Buyers Guide and Checklist
October 30, 2024
The healthcare industry continues to go through rapid changes. Demands and opportunities facing the modern laboratory are no exception. While the last few years have been dominated by changes (like the COVID-19 pandemic) that led to dramatic increases in demand, the trend of unprecedented high volumes is expected to accelerate thanks to recent advances in diagnostic testing and personalized medicine.
This leads to a natural question: Are pathology labs prepared for this and have the proper laboratory workflow management system and pathology reporting software in place to manage the job?
In an increasingly competitive (and regulated) marketplace, digitization and automation of clinical lab workflow are no longer “nice to haves” but rapidly becoming pathology lab software base-level requirements. Pathology labs that are slow to upgrade from legacy LIS laboratory information system software (also known as LIS systems or pathology LIS systems) risk losing clients and market share.
Learn More: Comparing LigoLab Informatics Platform with Legacy Laboratory Information System Software
Must-Have Medical LIS Software Features
No two laboratories are exactly alike, but one element is certain. To achieve maximum efficiency and better patient care, it’s imperative that bottlenecks and barriers are removed and patient safety is prioritized. That’s why partnering with laboratory information system vendors that offer all of the modern medical LIS software features listed below is so important.
Learn More: Not All LIS Systems Are Created Equally
Overview: Pathology Lab Software and Laboratory Workflow Management
While the work of a pathology laboratory is very different from that of a computer company or a delivery service, it’s useful to note that many key success factors are common across various industries.
For example, extremely successful companies such as Apple, FedEx, and Toyota - all very different industries from each other - rely on streamlined manufacturing processes, intense focus on supply chains and logistics, rigorous quality assurance protocols, and internal state-of-the-art software systems that automate, integrate, and support these functions.
The pathology lab’s success factor is no different. The equivalent functions in laboratory workflow management by LIS lab software systems include workflow efficiency, seamless integration across all modules, automation of complex lab workflow processes, robust interoperability with various analyzers and electronic health record systems, and a growth-driven pricing model.
In terms of specific features that pathologists need in 2025 and beyond, lab directors, managers, and owners should be looking for - among others - modern sample tracking systems, quality assurance protocols, integrated and customizable reporting and distribution modules, and laboratory software systems that support laboratory billing (laboratory revenue cycle management, lab RCM), direct-to-consumer lab testing (learn more about TestDirectly and TestDirectly.com here), voice recognition (pathology dictation software), and digital pathology workflow.
Learn More: How Specimen Tracking Software Improves Efficiency and Reduces the Chance for Diagnostic Errors
Next, we will review the six best laboratory workflow management and LIS lab software features below before concluding with an outlook on the future of pathology lab software in general and offering those interested in a pathology lab reporting software demo the opportunity to learn more.
Key Pathology Lab Software Feature #1: Pathology Specimen Tracking System
Barcoding samples in clinical labs and anatomical pathology practices can be categorized under basic LIS lab software features. In particular Quick Response (QR) codes, with their ability to link with laboratory information systems, should be part of a lab manager’s baseline expectations from laboratory information system companies (LIS system vendors).
Laboratory information system software portals (like LigoLab Web Connect and TestDirectly) with electronic lab workflow architecture featuring QR coding options allow for significantly more automation and fewer errors by replacing manual steps and paper records. As a result, modern laboratories:
- Require less labor to track and report on specimens, which decreases costs and turnaround times, and increases throughput.
- Produce fewer errors, which are at best time-consuming to resolve and fix and at worst impact the lab’s reputation.
- They can create end-to-end automation, integrating sample tracking via a pathology specimen tracking system that includes patient self-registration. This makes it easier to obtain payment and reimbursement while increasing revenue and efficiency and reducing labor costs.
Key Pathology Lab Software Feature #2: LIS Lab Reporting Software
While reporting on results to stakeholders like patients, physicians, and government and health agencies tends to happen at the end of the process, it’s often one of the first features discussed in a pathology lab reporting software discussion with LIS system vendors. This is because of the crucial importance of accurate, automated, customizable, and efficient lab reporting of patient records. Without modern pathology lab software powering advanced laboratory information systems, reporting can be a source of significant inefficiencies.
Experts agree that pathology report software must have six fundamental characteristics for a laboratory to function efficiently and not get left behind by the competition:
Pathology Lab Reporting Software Characteristic #1: Interoperability
Effective pathology lab reporting software must be able to connect with a wide range of electronic health records and lab RCM/lab billing services used by hospitals and health systems across the country. As such, the pathology software and LIS system should be built with an open architecture, use a versatile interface engine, and support various formats and reporting requirements, including embedded PDFs, XML, and links in HL7 messages.
Pathology Lab Reporting Software Characteristic #2: Flexibility
The best LIS medical software should offer fully customizable report templates, including the possibility of client-co-branded or white-labeled reports. Similarly, modern laboratory information systems with embedded pathology lab reporting software solutions should offer features such as personalization, saved preferences, full-color rich text, diagrams, and images. These should be included with licenses and pre-loaded into the LIS system, not as extra add-ons.
Pathology Lab Reporting Software Characteristic #3: Configurability
Pathology report software configurability is a crucial feature of well-designed pathology LIS systems that is often overlooked but can be a major time and cost-saver. The pathology lab reporting software template engine should be embedded within the LIS system, and provide support for macros, attachments (including images and diagrams), and annotations in generated reports.
Learn More: How LigoLab's Pathology Lab Software Supports Lab Report Customization and Client Preferences
Pathology Lab Reporting Software Characteristic #4: Integration
A successful lab information system with pathology lab reporting software should support synoptic reporting and automatically integrate multiple test results from various departments into one easy-to-read lab report summary.
Pathology Lab Reporting Software Characteristic #5: Decision Support Systems
As much of the healthcare industry moves toward value-based care, the best LIS laboratory information systems and laboratory workflow management solutions provide various risk assessment tools in reports, such as decision support systems and best practice protocols. This provides an efficiency value-add to caregivers and makes reports into more than a “data dump.”
Pathology Lab Reporting Software Characteristic #6: Automated Multi-Channel Distribution
Quality pathology reporting software should allow for automated distribution of lab reports via multiple channels including email, fax, provider and patient web portals, remote and local printers, and/or SMS/text messages.
Key Pathology Lab Software Feature #3: Scalable Pricing Model
If healthcare leaders learned anything from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that demand for pathology lab services can change extremely quickly.
Even though the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, many experts agree that the world is increasingly likely to face additional and unpredictable public health challenges in the future. These “known unknowns” will impact pathology laboratory business models, as anatomical and clinical pathology labs will necessarily be on the front lines of any response.
As such, it is crucial that labs partner with laboratory information system vendors that have flexible and scalable pricing models. Relying on a one-size-fits-all LIS software price is inefficient, wasteful, and ultimately harmful to both labs and laboratory information system companies, and, as a result, the overall healthcare system.
For example, the LigoLab LIS & RCM Laboratory Informatics Platform has a unique tiered pricing model. With this aligned partnership model, there is no large, upfront capital investment or restrictive licensing fees, plus no limit on seats, support, and maintenance. Therefore the lab can focus on growth, innovation, and maximizing resources.
Learn More: LigoLab Informatics Platform: Uniquely Designed to Deliver Maximum Value
Key Pathology Lab Software Feature #4: Laboratory Billing/Lab RCM
Claims processing can be a time-consuming laboratory billing process with significant labor costs and decreasing potential lab throughput. The best LIS lab software also provides this part of the LIS medical solution with embedded and fully integrated laboratory billing solutions.
Presently, the highest standard for laboratory information systems can be found in no-touch lab billing functionality that automatically checks a patient’s demographics and insurance eligibility with information collected at the time of registration and uses this information to expedite the lab RCM cycle for payers and clients. Automating the laboratory billing process saves time and money, reduces errors, and speeds up cash collection, allowing pathology labs to use their working capital more effectively.
Learn More: Why Integrated LIS System and Lab RCM Software is a Catalyst for Growth
While laboratory billing automation can be an issue for any business, pathology lab reimbursement requires effective laboratory revenue cycle management software that complies with ever-changing regulatory frameworks.
Key Pathology Lab Software Feature #5: Pooled Testing Capability
One interesting innovation for pathology labs can be found in pooled testing, which involves processing multiple specimens together in a single batch. When done effectively, pooled testing can allow pathology laboratories to increase capacity while decreasing turnaround time and cost-per-test.
The best LIS systems support pooled testing and can track multiple specimens simultaneously after barcoding them, which is complex and error-prone if attempted manually. Another crucial part of pooled testing is the ability to track the retesting of positive samples for confirmation. The pathology lab software must support this.
Key Pathology Lab Software Feature #6: Digital Pathology
Digital pathology and its integration with anatomic pathology LIS became increasingly important during the rise of COVID-19, with pathologists - thanks to relaxed guidelines - choosing to swap their glass slides for digital ones and the laboratory setting for a home office digital pathology suite.
With the regulatory hurdle gone more pathologists are embracing digital pathology lab workflow solutions to improve efficiency and image management, and rapid growth is expected to continue.
Modern laboratory managers and owners are leveraging pathology lab software like the LigoLab LIS & RCM Laboratory Informatics Platform and its proprietary interface engine to capitalize on this growth and ultimately serve patients better. The LigoLab platform integrates with whole-side imaging scanners that digitize glass slides into digital slides.
It’s believed that digital pathology, aided by deep learning methods and image analysis powered by artificial intelligence, will continue to advance within the pathologist community as diagnostic confidence in this sub-field of pathology grows.
Book a Pathology Lab Software Demo Today to See These Features in Action
As highlighted above, today’s high-demand pathology labs require laboratory information system software that is robust and flexible. It’s also important that the LIS system includes features like sample tracking, custom reporting, scalable pricing, lab billing, pooled testing, easy interfacing, and much more.
Pathology lab software that doesn’t have this comprehensive array of functionality is unlikely to help your lab optimize and scale its operations.
Fortunately, the LigoLab platform has everything pathology labs need to be successful.
To experience the informatics platform for yourself, book a demo here.
The Future of Pathology Lab Software
Like many industries, the pathology lab software sector has been divided into winners and losers based on a company’s underlying business model, including its ability to deploy technology effectively.
This trend was dramatically accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which helped make high-quality laboratory information systems a minimum and necessary standard for pathology labs.
Lab directors, managers, and owners who have not already made these investments risk being left behind, while those who continue to stay at the forefront of laboratory information system software technology stand to reap the rewards.
Learn More: Can Your Laboratory Information System Support the Latest LIS System Technology?
