Industry Insights
How LigoLab Helps Medical Labs Combat Staffing Shortages
November 10, 2026
Executive Summary: Modern medical laboratory information system (LIS software) helps labs offset staffing shortages by automating repetitive tasks across the preanalytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases, reducing manual errors and freeing staff time. According to LigoLab CEO Suren Avunjian, rules-based automation, EHR interoperability, integrated laboratory revenue cycle management (RCM), and emerging AI and digital pathology solutions help labs handle higher volumes without proportional headcount increases.
The shortage of qualified personnel in laboratory medicine is a well-known and rapidly escalating issue. As a critical component of patient care, the field now faces mounting pressure to address this workforce challenge before it affects service quality and patient outcomes.
In a piece first published in the Tech Times and updated with new information, LigoLab CEO Suren Avunjian explains how LIS laboratory information system software can help organizations address the current shortage of medical laboratory scientists (MLS) and medical laboratory technologists (MLT).
Industry Insights: How LigoLab Supports Medical Labs Dealing with Staffing Shortages
How Severe Is the Laboratory Staffing Shortage?
What Is the Scale of the Problem?
Laboratory medicine is a critical pillar of the healthcare system, contributing to approximately 70 percent of all medical decisions. With 14 billion lab tests conducted annually in the U.S., laboratory professionals play a central role in patient care.
However, the industry is in crisis. A nationwide shortage of medical laboratory scientists and technicians is straining testing organizations.
This growing gap stems from multiple factors, including widespread burnout, increased workloads, and a lack of recognition for lab professionals. A survey by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) found that over 85 percent of lab professionals experience burnout, with understaffing and excessive workload cited as the primary causes.
An aging workforce and a sharp decline in new graduates entering the field compound the issue. Despite high educational costs, averaging $100,000 for a medical laboratory science degree, starting salaries remain significantly lower than those in comparable healthcare professions, deterring new entrants and fueling the ongoing shortage.
How Does Modern Laboratory Information System Software Address Staffing Shortages?
According to Avunjian, one viable solution lies in technology, specifically, modern LIS systems. Advanced medical LIS software platforms can offset staffing shortages by automating repetitive tasks, improving efficiency, and reducing errors across the entire diagnostic workflow.
How Do Modern LIS Systems Help in the Preanalytical Phase?
Advanced LIS systems automate test ordering, specimen tracking, and data entry through rules-based workflows and interoperability with electronic health record systems (EHRs) and client portals, significantly reducing manual entry errors and freeing up staff time.
How Do Modern LIS Systems Help in the Analytical Phase?
Integrated, automated labs with advanced LIS systems eliminate redundancies and streamline validation and test result review processes. Modern systems enable lab staff to focus on specific tasks without the manual burden of coordinating across departments.
How Do Modern LIS Systems Help in the Post-Analytical Phase?
Intelligent report generation and flexible, automated distribution methods tailored to provider preferences improve service quality and turnaround times, while also offering a competitive edge in a crowded market.
Avunjian stressed that automation and modern LIS systems are no longer optional; they are essential tools for laboratories navigating workforce challenges while striving for operational excellence. He urged lab leaders to seek not just laboratory information system vendors but strategic partners offering scalable, all-in-one pathology and clinical laboratory management solutions that align with the lab's current and future needs.
Industry Insights: Best LIS Systems - Top Laboratory Information Systems Compared for Clinical, Pathology, and Outreach Labs
What Does a Unified Solution for Modern Lab Operations Look Like?
The all-in-one LigoLab Informatics Platform exemplifies this approach, providing a unified lab organization software that supports anatomic, clinical, molecular, and toxicology testing while also addressing laboratory revenue cycle management (RCM) challenges. The platform modernizes operations, improves visibility, and helps organizations prepare for mounting pressures.
Addressing the staffing shortage in laboratory medicine requires more than recruitment; it demands smarter laboratory software systems. By adopting a modern medical LIS software like the LigoLab platform, laboratories can protect service quality, boost efficiency, and better position themselves for long-term success.
On-Demand Webinar: Beat Pathologist Burnout & Combat Staffing Shortages
How Will AI, Digital Pathology, and LIS Software Shape the Future?
Is a Revolution on the Horizon?
Despite well-documented staff shortages, laboratory medicine is on the verge of a major transformation driven by rapid advancements in automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital pathology. As these technologies mature and personnel challenges persist, modern medical laboratory information system software is poised to play a central role in what many experts view as a revolution in laboratory medicine over the next five to seven years.
Forward-thinking laboratory information system vendors, like those behind LigoLab's all-in-one medical LIS & lab RCM platform, are positioned to support this evolution. Industry leaders anticipate that AI and digital pathology solutions will become essential tools for managing increasing case volumes and complexity, with the potential for a single pathologist to achieve the productivity levels of two pathologists working today.
Discover More: Best Practices for Preparing Medical Labs for AI Integration in Technical and Financial Operations
What Does the Data Say?
A report from Signify Research projects that global demand for digital pathology will soon double. As adoption accelerates, a digital pathology workflow may emerge in which the following split of cases develops:
This underscores pathologists' irreplaceable role in patient care.
Although laboratories typically account for just five percent of a health system's total budget, their influence is far greater. Lab results drive 70 to 80 percent of all clinical decisions; investing in the future of pathology lab software is not just compelling but critical.
Discover More: The Role of Anatomic Pathology LIS Software in Optimizing Laboratory Workflow Management
Is Your Lab Information System Ready for the Future?
Why Move Beyond Legacy LIS Systems?
To address the increasing demands of modern surgical pathology practices, labs must move beyond outdated, rigid LIS systems. The future belongs to flexible, rules-based LIS software platforms that support automation, interoperability, and scalability.
Legacy LIS systems are quickly becoming obsolete, replaced by unified LIS medical solutions that are both robust and adaptable. These modern laboratory information systems offer thousands of configurable elements, enabling labs to rapidly add new tests, results, report templates, and data fields. They eliminate data silos, ensure seamless communication across departments, and often include integrated laboratory billing and lab revenue cycle management capabilities to streamline operations and improve financial performance.
How Do You Choose the Best LIS Software?
Choosing the best LIS platform and vendor can determine whether a lab thrives or struggles in this new era. Evaluate laboratory information system vendors based on their commitment to ongoing development, customer support, and transparent pricing. The ideal partner aligns with your lab's long-term goals, offers a low upfront investment, and provides responsive service with no hidden fees.
Discover More: LigoLab Informatics Platform - Uniquely Designed to Deliver Maximum Value
Labs that invest in a future-ready LIS medical platform gain a powerful advantage: a comprehensive and scalable LIS lab solution designed to boost efficiency, reduce manual workflows, and support growth in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.
Industry Insights: From System of Record to System of Action - The Next Evolution of Laboratory Information Systems
Can LIS Software Alone Solve the Lab Staffing Shortage?
No, and it's worth being direct in explaining why. An LIS system can offset a shortage by removing repetitive work. Still, it can't fix the underlying causes the article names: burnout, an aging workforce, fewer graduates, high education costs, and pay that lags comparable professions. Automation also takes setup and training time, and implementing any new system draws on the same stretched staff you're trying to relieve, so plan resources for it.
That said, for labs already stretched thin and spending staff time on manual entry, coordination, and report distribution, automating those steps is a practical place to start.
Continue Your Research
- LigoLab Staffing Support: How LigoLab Supports Medical Labs Dealing with Staffing Shortages
- Why the Shortage Happened: What Caused the Current Shortage of Medical Laboratory Technologists and What Steps Need to Be Taken to Solve the Problem
- AI Preparation: Best Practices for Preparing Medical Labs for AI Integration in Technical and Financial Operations
- Next-Generation LIS: From System of Record to System of Action - The Next Evolution of Laboratory Information Systems
- 2025 Industry Shifts: The New Lab Reality - 2025's Most Important Shifts in Management, Technology, and Regulation
Ready to Prepare Your LIS Lab Environment for the Future?
Discover how LigoLab's all-in-one medical LIS and lab RCM platform can help your organization overcome staffing challenges, embrace automation, and prepare for the future of laboratory medicine.
Don’t Wait: Speak with a LigoLab Product Specialist Today!
Frequently Asked Questions About Lab Staffing Shortages and Modern Medical Laboratory Information System Software
How severe is the laboratory staffing shortage in the U.S.?
The article cites an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 unfilled positions for medical laboratory scientists and technicians nationwide. It also cites an ASCP survey finding that over 85 percent of lab professionals experience burnout, with understaffing and excessive workload as the primary causes. It notes that an aging workforce and fewer new graduates are compounding the problem.
How can modern LIS software help labs cope with staffing shortages?
Modern laboratory information system software automates repetitive tasks across the preanalytical, analytical, and post-analytical phases. By reducing manual data entry, streamlining workflows, and automating result distribution, medical LIS platforms help existing staff handle higher volumes without proportional headcount increases.
What specific tasks can a modern LIS system automate to reduce staffing pressure?
A modern LIS system can automate test ordering, specimen tracking, data entry, result validation and review support, report generation, and result distribution. Rules-based workflows and EHR interoperability further reduce the need for manual coordination between departments.
What role will AI and digital pathology play in addressing lab staffing challenges?
Experts quoted in the article expect AI and digital pathology to become essential tools for managing rising case volumes, with the potential for one pathologist to reach the productivity of two. A Signify Research report projects that demand for digital pathology will soon double, and describes a possible workflow in which 60 to 70 percent of cases are reviewed and released based on image analysis results.
What should labs look for when selecting an LIS software vendor to address staffing challenges?
Organizations should evaluate laboratory information system vendors on their commitment to ongoing development, customer support, and transparent pricing. The article suggests an ideal partner offers a scalable, all-in-one solution, aligns with the lab's long-term goals, requires a low upfront investment, and provides responsive service with no hidden fees.
Can software alone solve the lab staffing shortage?
No. An LIS system can offset a shortage by automating repetitive work, but it doesn't address burnout, workforce pipeline, or pay. Labs should also plan staff time for implementation and verify any automation or AI claims with references.
