Questions All Pathology Labs Should Ask When Evaluating LIS Software and Support

Is laboratory information system software (LIS software) holding your clinical laboratory or pathology practice business back, preventing the efficiency and productivity you desire? 

Stuck with an inflexible medical laboratory information system that lacks features and functionality, making it harder and harder to remain current and relevant in a dynamic and ever-changing industry?

Have you realized that a pathology lab management system upgrade in advanced LIS software is needed to protect the business from external threats, but remain fearful of the disruption and pain associated with lab information system implementations?

Are you tired of your current relationship with LIS software vendors?  Are they only interested in charging additional fees for minor changes to a lab report or pathology lab management configuration?

Well, you’re not alone. These are all common feelings that lab directors and managers experience when trying to get by with legacy pathology LIS systems that are rigid, dated, and costing them in terms of money and opportunity.

Now, let me cheer you up a bit. You and other lab leaders no longer need to settle for second best. That’s because the best LIS systems are highly adaptable and configurable platforms, more than capable of changing how labs do business. 

Learn More: How to Turn Your Mid-Sized Medical Laboratory into a Thriving Large-Scale Operation

Continue reading as we touch upon the frequently asked questions (FAQs) received by our LIS company during interactions with potential new customers via interactive pathology lab software demonstrations and LigoLab resources like webinars, case studies, white papers, and surveys.

What the Best LIS Software Vendors Offer to Their Customers

At LigoLab, we strive to provide unmatched lab information system customer service. It’s built into our company’s DNA. We’re interested in long-term and mutually profitable relationships with our customers, and this is an outlier that sets us apart from other laboratory information system vendors. 

Our team works tirelessly to unlock your laboratory’s potential because we view every interaction with a partner lab as an investment in the relationship and our LIS company. 

This is more than a marketing statement, it’s a financial reality. We share the risk of a successful LIS system implementation with your laboratory and are vested in your business’s continual growth through an aligned risk-reward tiered pricing model. 

Put simply, this tiered pricing for our LIS model is designed to help your laboratory scale faster, and we’re very motivated because we have skin in the game. 

If upgrading your medical LIS system is a priority, you’re in luck, and your timing is superb.

You’re invited to compare the information you gather about our LIS system against what you’ve heard and seen from the other lab vendors to help you make the right choice and choose the best LIS for your lab.

Learn More: Best Pathology Lab Reporting Software - 2025 Buyer's Guide and Checklist

Comparing the Services of Laboratory Information System Vendors

Let’s start with the services offered by laboratory information system vendors. 

When comparing LIS software solutions and implementation strategies, it’s essential to choose 

Choosing a vendor that offers a clear, well-defined plan for every stage - from onboarding and go-live to long-term support - is essential. Without dedicated guidance and partnership, your lab will struggle to achieve operational efficiency and profitability. 

With the LigoLab platform, you can be confident that the answer to every key question below is a definitive “yes.”

Learn More: Navigating the Future of Pathology - The LigoLab Advantage

Important Service-Oriented FAQs for Laboratory Information System Companies

• Does the LIS company offer an online or on-site LIS system demonstration?

• Does the medical LIS provider have a detailed project plan (including the project team, timelines, deliverables, and risk/ issue management procedures)?

• Does the LIS maker explain its overall project approach, deliverables, time constraints, and any other criteria for the project?

• Does the LIS lab provider have reliable cost estimates and pricing schedules, including all products and services in the scope of work?

• Does the LIS pathology vendor detail the total time and staff resources the lab will have to provide for the implementation process?

• Can the LIS company explain the maintenance and support offered during and after implementation, including times and methods of availability, issue escalation, and management? 

Here’s a taste of the service you’ll receive with a LigoLab LIS system implementation. 

First, your lab is assigned a dedicated implementation specialist to guide every step and work hand-in-glove with your staff. This individual is available during business hours via phone and email and outside of business hours when necessary. This specialist is your first contact and is responsible for escalating issues to management as they arise. 

After a successful implementation, your lab regularly meets with the implementation specialist to ensure that all significant issues are resolved promptly. After this, you’re transferred from the LigoLab implementations to LigoLab’s support team. The support team is available 24/7, including off hours, to assist via email and phone. 

For a closer look at LigoLab’s approach to lab information system implementation and support, click here. 

• Does the LIS vendor provide a support schedule for the implementation process, including optional support levels, their function, and availability?
• Does the LIS provider offer support during the critical “go-live” phase - between system validation and full deployment - before the official maintenance and support agreement begins?

During the go-live phase, LigoLab’s implementation specialist remains fully dedicated to the project, providing hands-on guidance and support every step of the way.

• Does the vendor provide a gap analysis after the initial LIS system installation, identifying the outstanding deliverables and/or tasks?

• Does the LIS company provide a table linking each deliverable to the corresponding user requirement specification it fulfills?

• Does the LIS software vendor use a consistent training methodology for educating new users?

• Does the lab vendor supply LIS-specific training program curricula?

LigoLab offers new clients a dedicated platform for video training plus an extensive user manual built into the platform. 

• Does the LIS software include user, administrator, developer, installation, and reference manuals?
• Does the LIS vendor provide documentation covering system design, installation, operation, and performance validation?

• Does the vendor provide a source code for the LIS system?

With LigoLab, the source code is placed with a third-party escrow service.

• Does the LIS company provide an optional comprehensive set of test codes suitable for use by the purchaser? 

Learn More: LigoLab’s Approach to LIS System Implementation and Support

The Best LIS Software Supported by Best-in-Class Personnel 

In summary, support from laboratory information system companies is as vital as the LIS software itself, and asking key questions upfront will help you understand the support your lab will receive after signing the LIS software license agreement. 

If you have more questions after reviewing the FAQs in this blog post and want to speak with a laboratory information system product specialist about the LigoLab platform, please don’t hesitate to schedule an introductory call.

Connect Me with a LigoLab Product Specialist!