Industry Insights
Anatomic Pathology Software Roundtable Recap: Balancing Pressures with the Promise of New Technology
June 9, 2026
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Editor’s Note: This roundtable recap was first published as an Industry Insights post on August 29, 2023.
Sometimes it's a good idea to step back and compare what experts predicted with what transpired. Doing so is an excellent way to track changes and trends in the dynamic laboratory information system (LIS) software industry.
The August 2023 issue of CAP Today offers a look back at the concerns experts voiced then and a way to measure progress since. In the following sections, you’ll see how the issue highlighted a roundtable on anatomic pathology, the pressures labs face, and the introduction of new diagnostic lab software tools that are helping to counter shrinking reimbursements, workforce shortages, and burnout.
To read the article in its entirety, click below.
CAP Today Article: In Anatomic Pathology Labs, a Balancing Act
LigoLab’s CEO Promotes LIS System and Laboratory Billing Integrations
As usual, credit goes to CAP Today Publisher Bob McGonnagle for his efforts in gathering an excellent panel of pathologists and representatives of leading laboratory information system companies.
LigoLab CEO Suren Avunjian, a regular roundtable guest, participated in the discussion and offered his insights as McGonnagle moderated.
Editorial Note: Suren's answers were abbreviated in the CAP Today article. Below are his full responses to the questions asked during the discussion.
Roundtable Q&A: LigoLab CEO Suren Avunjian on the State of Anatomic Pathology
Q: Suren Avunjian, you've often said that your customers' challenges are your own. How do you view the current situation, and what steps do you suggest could provide relief?
A: Reimbursement issues are adding to the perfect storm. We're currently facing what many call a "perfect storm." Declining laboratory billing reimbursements, the shortage of staff and pathologists, and continually escalating costs pose significant challenges for the laboratory sector. Amid this complex scenario, laboratories struggle to maintain operational efficiency while ensuring they can continue delivering high-quality patient care.
Discover More: Laboratory Information System Software and Its Role in Overcoming Laboratory Staffing Challenges
However, every challenge also presents an opportunity, and these substantial hurdles are opening doors for laboratory information system vendors to step in and make a real difference in LIS software technology. Advanced, comprehensive anatomic pathology LIS technology platforms, equipped with the right automation, can offer pathology lab software solutions that directly address these issues, enabling laboratories to navigate the choppy waters of today's healthcare environment more effectively.
Discover More: Best Pathology Lab Reporting Software - Buyers Guide and Checklist
Addressing Declining Reimbursements Through Lab Revenue Cycle Management Technology
Meanwhile, innovative laboratory revenue cycle management (lab RCM) technology and modern laboratory billing solutions can provide critical support in dealing with declining reimbursements. By leveraging advanced rule sets, strategies, and analytics, labs can gain better control and insight into their technical and financial operations, identify waste, and make informed decisions that enhance collections and profitability.
The Role of AI and Digital Pathology in Addressing Workforce Shortages
Furthermore, advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning can play a crucial role in enhancing pathologists' capabilities, helping mitigate the impact of pathologist shortages.
LigoLab integrated with BioImagene (later acquired by Ventana and Roche) as a digital pathology partner over a decade ago, marking our entry into this space. Since then, we've established integrations with a host of whole-slide imagers and developed an agnostic laboratory information system platform that fully supports the latest digital pathology technology. This approach enables rapid integration with the modern digital pathology solutions while providing a marketplace layer for AI technology, tailor-made for different machine learning models and specific to each stain and specimen.
As more practices embrace digital pathology over the next few years, these technologies will prove increasingly valuable. We're seeing this trend among our anatomic pathology software customers, many of whom have initiated a digital pathology strategy or plan to do so within the next 12 months.
Building a Cloud-Based EHR Integration Network
One of our key initiatives is developing a cloud-based EHR integration network to alleviate some of the industry's challenges. With this integration engine, when customers partner with LigoLab, they gain automatic access to all EHRs integrated into the cloud network, without requiring individual labs to rebuild them. Point-to-point interfaces have created considerable struggle and costs within our industry. Our cloud-based integration engine removes these pain points, enabling customers to connect with our LIS lab solution quickly and cost-effectively.
Discover More: LigoLab Delivers the LIS System Interoperability Needed to Transform Medical Laboratories into Thriving Businesses
Q: Suren, what are you seeing in terms of the demand to bring gene sequencing in-house, recognizing the complexity of the technology, the IT, and the expertise required?
A: We see the appetite in the general pathology labs we serve. A few have deployed in-house gene sequencing technologies, but most are still in research and planning phases.
Various factors can influence the decision to bring gene sequencing in-house, and indeed, we are observing growing interest and contracts from specialized laboratories focused on genomic testing.
What's Driving the Push Toward In-House Gene Sequencing
The driving force behind this trend often centers on personalization and the deployment of new clinical products that require greater control over sequencing, faster turnaround times, and the ability to customize analyses to specific research or clinical needs.
Cost and Informatics Considerations
Cost is a significant factor. The upfront investment in sequencing equipment can be substantial, as can the ongoing costs for consumables, maintenance, and informatics infrastructure. Gene sequencing requires specialized personnel, further increasing operational costs.
However, as sequencing technologies advance and efficiency improves, costs decline. Key takeaway: Decreasing expenses make in-house sequencing increasingly accessible for many labs.
The informatics requirements for gene sequencing are considerable and extend well beyond the sequencing process itself. Data management, analysis, interpretation, and storage require robust and sophisticated laboratory software systems. The vast amount of data generated by sequencing procedures can be overwhelming, so having the right bioinformatics resources in place is critical. Furthermore, this data is highly sensitive and requires stringent security measures to protect patient privacy and comply with regulatory requirements.
More Insight: LigoLab’s Enhanced Cybersecurity Solutions Give Customers Added Protection and Peace of Mind
Ultimately, whether an organization decides to bring gene sequencing in-house depends on its specific circumstances, including its budget, the volume and type of sequencing it plans to do, its timeline requirements, its informatics capacity, and the expertise of its staff.
White Paper: Summit Pathology - Achieving Laboratory Profitability Amidst Operational Pressures
Take Your Practice to the Next Level with a Modern Laboratory Information System
CAP Today is a wonderful resource for any medical lab looking to replace an outdated LIS system with a modern medical LIS system. Pay special attention to their annual LIS systems issue (produced every November), which includes a comprehensive list of LIS software vendors and detailed descriptions of their products.
LigoLab's all-in-one informatics platform (with LIS + RCM solutions) is listed alongside other lab vendors, making it easy to compare the best LIS systems.
Accelerate Growth with a Modern Laboratory Information System
LigoLab’s platform features a comprehensive, highly configurable, enterprise-grade laboratory information system module that helps pathology groups and clinical and reference labs modernize their operations and grow efficiently. This empowers them to differentiate, scale their operations, improve compliance, and increase profitability.
Contact LigoLab today to learn more about this modern LIS pathology software solution that helps mid-to-large-sized pathology labs grow faster.
Take Action: Contact a LigoLab Product Specialist!
Frequently Asked Questions About the Anatomic Pathology Software Roundtable and LigoLab's Role in Modern LIS Lab Solutions
What is the CAP Today anatomic pathology roundtable?
The CAP Today roundtable is a moderated discussion organized by CAP Today publisher Bob McGonnagle, bringing together pathologists and representatives from the best laboratory information systems companies to address pressing challenges in the anatomic pathology field. The August 2023 roundtable focused on the pressures labs face from declining reimbursements, workforce shortages, and burnout, as well as the technology solutions to counter them.
What challenges are anatomic pathology labs currently facing?
Anatomic pathology labs are navigating what LigoLab CEO Suren Avunjian describes as a "perfect storm": a combination of declining laboratory reimbursement rates, a shortage of pathologists and support staff, and continuously rising operational costs. Together, these pressures make it increasingly difficult for labs to maintain efficiency while delivering high-quality patient care.
How can advanced LIS software help labs address reimbursement and staffing pressures?
Modern anatomic pathology LIS platforms equipped with robust automation capabilities can significantly reduce manual administrative tasks, streamline laboratory workflow management, and lower operational overhead. On the financial side, integrated laboratory revenue cycle management (lab RCM) technology and laboratory billing solutions use advanced rule sets and analytics to help labs recover more revenue, reduce waste, and make data-driven decisions that improve overall profitability.
What is LigoLab doing to support digital pathology and AI integration?
LigoLab has been active in the digital pathology space for over a decade, beginning with its integration with BioImagene. Today, the platform supports integrations with a wide range of whole-slide imagers and provides an agnostic laboratory information system, enabling rapid adoption of the latest digital pathology solutions. LigoLab also offers a marketplace layer for AI and machine learning models tailored to specific stains and specimens, helping pathology labs expand their diagnostic capabilities as adoption of these technologies grows.
What is LigoLab's cloud-based EHR integration network?
LigoLab's cloud-based EHR integration network eliminates the pain points associated with costly, time-consuming point-to-point interfaces. When labs partner with LigoLab, they gain automatic access to all EHRs already integrated into the cloud network. It dramatically reduces the time and cost of connecting with other healthcare systems.
Are pathology labs ready to bring gene sequencing in-house?
Interest is growing, but most general pathology labs are still in research and planning phases. The decision to bring gene sequencing in-house depends on several factors, including budget, sequencing volume, turnaround time requirements, informatics infrastructure, and staff expertise. As sequencing technologies become more cost-efficient and accessible, Industry trends indicate that more labs will make the transition, particularly those specializing in genomic testing that require greater control over the sequencing process and faster delivery of results.
Where can labs go to compare LIS software vendors?
The annual CAP Today LIS systems issue is one of the best resources for comparing the best laboratory information system software vendors. It includes a comprehensive list of providers along with detailed product descriptions. LigoLab's all-in-one medical LIS and lab billing platform is featured in that guide, making it straightforward for labs to evaluate it alongside other available medical laboratory solutions.
