Just-In-Time vs. Batch Processing in the Medical Lab: Examining the Pros and Cons

In an article posted by Forbes Business Council, LigoLab CEO Suren Avunjian weighs the pros and cons of Just-In-Time testing in healthcare, arguing that the Just-In-Time method provides anatomic pathology groups and clinical and reference laboratories with greater efficiency, flexibility, and faster turnaround times.

Given the mounting challenges facing the laboratory industry, his argument holds significant weight. Avunjian goes a step further by highlighting additional, often-overlooked advantages, most notably, the reduction of medical waste and the significant cost savings that come with it.

Suren’s Article Linked Here: Reducing Medical Waste And Cost With Just-In-Time Testing

Tackling Healthcare Data Overload and Medical Waste

The Scale of the Problem

Avunjian begins making the case for the Just-In-Time method by spotlighting the overwhelming volume of healthcare data generated worldwide. According to analysts, healthcare is responsible for nearly 30 percent of the world's total data volume, a figure rising at an alarming pace each year.

He then shifts focus to the growing issue of medical waste, offering specific examples such as contaminated blood (infectious waste), human organs and tissues (pathological waste), and discarded reagents and solvents (chemical waste).

"The World Health Organization defines medical waste as refuse generated by healthcare activities, and in the U.S. alone, more than 5.9 million tons of it are produced annually."
- Suren Avunjian, LigoLab CEO

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Why It's Time for Clinical Labs to Embrace Just-In-Time Over Batch Processing

An Unsustainable Status Quo

Avunjian shifts the conversation to the billions of diagnostic tests performed by medical laboratories each year, using this scale to underscore the immense internal and external pressures that labs face. He argues that the current approach is unsustainable given persistent staffing shortages, declining reimbursements, and rising supply costs.

To move forward, he urges large healthcare organizations to take meaningful action, including streamlining laboratory workflow management to reduce medical waste through greater efficiency and cost control.

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JIT vs. Batch Processing: Understanding the Difference

Avunjian contrasts two distinct laboratory workflow management models:

Just-In-Time (JIT): A procedure that involves the processing and testing of specimens as soon as they arrive at the laboratory, enabling continuous, real-time diagnostic workflows.

Batch Processing (BP): A method that involves accumulating multiple specimens over time before testing them all at once, trading speed for volume efficiency.

Drawing from his own experience, he makes a compelling case for why large-scale clinical labs should transition to JIT, emphasizing its numerous operational and financial benefits.

"With the JIT method, labs can significantly reduce medical waste while also improving operational efficiency, minimizing errors, and saving money."
- Suren Avunjian, LigoLab CEO

Discover More: Streamline Laboratory Workflow Management With Customized Lab Reports & Unmatched Client Support

When Just-In-Time Works Best, and When It Doesn't

The Advantages of JIT for Medical Labs

Avunjian examines the advantages of the JIT method, emphasizing how it enhances operational efficiency, increases flexibility, accelerates turnaround times, and ultimately improves customer satisfaction for medical laboratories. By processing specimens as soon as they arrive, labs eliminate the waiting periods and backlog risks inherent in batch workflows.

A Balanced Perspective

Avunjian concludes by offering a nuanced view, acknowledging that JIT may not be the ideal solution for every lab workflow. He concedes that in some scenarios, such as when labs are focused primarily on extremely high-volume tests, batch processing may still be more practical and efficient.

"If your lab runs critical time-sensitive tests and also wants to help minimize medical waste, I encourage you to consider adopting the JIT method." - Suren Avunjian, LigoLab CEO

To read the article in full, click the link below.

Article Linked Here: Reducing Medical Waste and Cost With Just-In-Time Testing

How Modern Medical Laboratory Information System Software Supports Just-In-Time Lab Workflow

JIT as a Core Concept in LigoLab's All-in-One Medical LIS & Lab Billing Informatics Platform

For Avunjian and LigoLab, the Just-In-Time method is a core concept built into LigoLab's all-in-one laboratory information system (LIS) and lab revenue cycle management (RCM) platform. As noted, the JIT method, fully supported by LigoLab's comprehensive and flexible medical laboratory solutions, reduces medical waste, lab mistakes, and supply costs while improving productivity across the board.

Discover More: The Best Laboratory Information Systems - LIS Software Solutions for Clinical and Pathology Labs

Implementing JIT Through the LigoLab Partnership Model

As part of any laboratory information system implementation, LigoLab's team works closely with each new customer, not only training them on the platform’s laboratory information system functions but also identifying and suggesting new, more efficient JIT lab workflows when appropriate.

Discover how LigoLab’s LIS system implementation differs from other laboratory information system vendors by clicking below.

Discover More: LigoLab’s Approach to Project Management and LIS System Implementation

Check Out These Other Forbes Business Council Articles by Suren Avunjian

Avunjian is a highly sought-after voice in the lab industry and a regular contributor to the Forbes Business Council, a networking organization for business owners and leaders. Laboratory decision-makers may also be interested in some of his other posts:

• The Impact Of Current Technology On The Future Of Medical Laboratories
• Funding Versus Bootstrapping For An Enterprise Pathology Lab Software Company

About the Author

Suren Avunjian is a Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at LigoLab, a fast-growing LIS company specializing in licensing advanced laboratory information systems and laboratory billing platforms for clinical and reference laboratories, as well as pathology groups.

Discover More: Navigating the Future of Pathology Lab Software - The LigoLab Advantage

He oversees all business growth and operations for LigoLab while leading a team of best-in-class personnel. He is also the creative force behind LigoLab's strategic vision to design the most comprehensive and infinitely configurable laboratory information system and to deliver and support it with unlimited and unmatched customer service.

Three Compelling Reasons to Consider LigoLab for Your Laboratory Information System Upgrade

1. Unified Medical LIS and Lab Billing for End-to-End Efficiency

LigoLab offers a fully integrated platform that combines medical LIS and laboratory billing modules into one seamless lab organization software. This eliminates data silos, reduces errors, and accelerates everything from order entry to lab revenue cycle management reimbursement, ensuring operational efficiency and faster reimbursement.

Discover More: The Power of Integration - Unleashing the Potential of LigoLab's LIS System & Lab RCM Platform

2. Unmatched Flexibility and Customization

With thousands of configurable components, built-in rules and automation engines, and a proprietary interface engine, LigoLab empowers labs to tailor lab workflow, reports, and integrations to meet their exact needs. Whether a startup clinical lab or a high-volume pathology group, the platform modernizes operations and stimulates rapid growth.

Learn More: The Four Most Important Things to Consider When Modernizing a Laboratory

3. Support From Experts With Real Lab Experience

Many LigoLab team members have hands-on backgrounds in clinical and anatomic pathology labs. This insider perspective translates to more relevant guidance, advanced support, and a true partnership that understands the realities of lab life.

Discover More: From the Bench to the Backend - How LigoLab Turns Previous Lab Experience Into Chief Informatics Officer-Level Insight for Its Customers

Ready to Modernize Your Lab Workflow?

Reach Out Now: Speak With a LigoLab Product Specialist Today!

Frequently Asked Questions About Just-In-Time vs. Batch Processing in Medical Labs

What is Just-In-Time testing in a medical laboratory context?

Just-in-time (JIT) testing is a laboratory workflow management approach in which specimens are processed and tested immediately upon arrival rather than waiting for batch processing. This continuous-flow model reduces delays, prevents specimen backlogs, accelerates turnaround times, and minimizes the risk of sample degradation or pre-analytical errors. 

What is batch processing, and when is it appropriate?

Batch processing is a laboratory workflow management model in which specimens are accumulated over time and then processed and tested together. While this approach can offer efficiency advantages for extremely high-volume, non-time-sensitive testing scenarios where per-run economics favor larger batches, it can introduce delays in result delivery and contribute to backlogs and workflow bottlenecks in labs that also run time-critical tests.

What are the key advantages of Just-In-Time testing over batch processing?

The primary advantages of JIT testing include faster turnaround times and result delivery, greater operational flexibility to respond to varying specimen volumes, reduced medical waste from reagents, consumables, and biological materials, lower supply costs through more efficient resource utilization, fewer errors from reduced specimen wait times and simplified workflow management, and improved customer and patient satisfaction from quicker diagnostic decisions.

How does medical waste reduction factor into the case for Just-In-Time testing?

Suren Avunjian emphasizes that the U.S. generates more than 5.9 million tons of medical waste annually, including infectious, pathological, and chemical waste from laboratory operations. JIT testing reduces this waste by processing specimens immediately rather than holding them until batch sizes are reached, which often results in expired reagents, unnecessary consumable usage, and biological material that degrades before testing. For large-scale labs, this translates to meaningful cost savings and a smaller environmental footprint.

Does Just-In-Time testing work for all types of labs and testing scenarios?

No, Avunjian acknowledges that JIT is not universally optimal. For labs focused primarily on extremely high-volume commodity testing where per-run economics strongly favor large batch sizes, batch processing may remain more practical. However, for labs running critical, time-sensitive tests, particularly in anatomic pathology and clinical settings where rapid results directly impact treatment decisions, JIT offers clear operational and patient care advantages.

How does LigoLab's LIS software support Just-In-Time lab workflow?

LigoLab's all-in-one laboratory information system (LIS) and laboratory billing platform is designed around just-in-time (JIT) workflow principles. Its configurable rules and automation engines automatically route, prioritize, and process specimens as they arrive, minimizing manual intervention and unnecessary delays. During implementation, LigoLab works closely with each laboratory to identify opportunities to replace inefficient batch processing with streamlined JIT workflows wherever they deliver operational value. 

Why does Suren Avunjian believe the current lab testing model is unsustainable?

Avunjian points to a convergence of pressures, including persistent staffing shortages, declining reimbursements, rising supply costs, and growing testing volumes, that make the traditional batch-heavy lab model increasingly difficult to sustain. Without deliberate workflow transformation, labs will struggle to maintain profitability and quality as these pressures compound. JIT testing, supported by a modern laboratory information system, offers a practical path to greater efficiency, lower waste, and improved financial performance.