Industry Insights
Solving the Medical Laboratory Staffing Shortage with Advanced LIS Systems and Better Support
September 10, 2026
Across the country, pathology practices and clinical labs are struggling to find and keep qualified staff. Retirements, burnout, and too few training programs have created a workforce gap that threatens turnaround times, accuracy, and patient care. Some labs are running with vacancy rates near 25 percent (see AACC white paper linked below). Others have been forced to reduce testing or close entirely.
Recruiting more professionals will help, but it's only part of the solution. To remain efficient and scale, labs need smarter processes and modern clinical and pathology lab management technology, beginning with advanced laboratory information system(LIS) software) that automates routine tasks and adapts quickly to change.
Discover More: AACC White Paper on Overcoming Lab Staffing Shortages
A Shortage That's Getting Worse
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects nearly 21,000 openings for laboratory technologists and technicians each year over the next decade, largely as workers retire or leave the profession. Meeting that demand remains a challenge, as the pipeline of new laboratory professionals has struggled to keep pace.
U.S. medical laboratory training programs continue to face capacity constraints, including faculty shortages, laboratory staffing challenges, and limited clinical placement opportunities. These barriers restrict the number of new professionals entering the workforce, contributing to an estimated nationwide shortage of 20,000 to 25,000 laboratory professionals.
The consequences extend well beyond the laboratory. An estimated 70 percent of medical decisions depend on laboratory results, placing even greater pressure on an already strained workforce. Heavy workloads, understaffing, demanding schedules, and compensation concerns further compound the problem, contributing to burnout and making it increasingly difficult for laboratories to recruit and retain the skilled professionals they need.
On-Demand Webinar: Beat Pathologist Burnout & Combat Staffing Shortages
What’s Driving the Shortfall
The causes for the staffing shortfall are well known:
- Retirement and an aging workforce as baby boomers leave the profession.
- Low visibility of lab careers compared with nursing or pharmacy.
- Fewer training programs and not enough qualified educators.
- Higher education costs, averaging around $100,000 for a lab science degree.
- Lower starting salaries compared with other healthcare roles.
- Burnout and limited advancement push people to other fields.
At the same time, diagnostic testing continues to expand. Labs now handle molecular and genomic testing that didn't exist a decade ago, adding complexity without adding people.
Industry Insights: How Modern LIS Systems Empower Labs Through Configurable Reporting, Seamless Integration, and True Partnership
Relief Through Process Improvement and Laboratory Information System Software Technology
Leaders can't solve staffing issues overnight, but medical labs can ease pressure by using their resources better. Process improvements, combined with automation and the best laboratory information system software, can reduce manual work and improve efficiency without compromising quality.
As LigoLab CEO Suren Avunjian explained in a blog post featuring Dr. James Crawford (linked below), "Process improvements and advanced laboratory information systems are key areas for lab directors and managers to focus on."
Discover More: What Caused the Current Shortage of Medical Laboratory Technologists and What Steps Need to Be Taken to Solve the Problem
Modern LIS systems support highly configurable workflows that automate repetitive steps like accessioning, order entry, and result validation. They connect directly to analyzers and robotics to reduce manual handling. They track specimens and automatically enforce quality checks, reducing rework and errors.
Automation and lab information system flexibility enable diagnostic testing organizations to manage high volumes even with limited staff. For example, Avero Diagnostics leveraged its modern lab information system and an advanced direct-to-consumer lab testing portal to process over 20,000 PCR tests daily during the COVID pandemic. Automation eliminated accessioning bottlenecks, enabling 98 percent of test results to be reported within 24 hours.
This proved that the right technology can help laboratories maintain accuracy and efficiency, even under extreme workload and staffing pressures.
Discover More: How Modern Laboratory Information Systems Can Protect Against External Threats Like Labor Shortages
Why Modernizing Laboratory Information Systems Matters
Many labs still rely on legacy laboratory information systems built decades ago that can't easily scale or integrate with new laboratory software systems. These medical LIS relics often require manual data entry and lack rules, automation, analytics, and interoperability with electronic health record (EHR) applications.
Upgrading to a modern LIS system solves these problems by:
- Automating routine work so staff can focus on interpretation and quality control.
- Integrating with instruments and laboratory billing systems to eliminate duplicate entry.
- Improving turnaround time through streamlined sample routing and result reporting.
- Reducing errors with audit trails, specimen tracking, and rule-based validation.
- Supporting scalability as test volumes and sites grow.
When configured correctly, a single modern LIS medical solution can unify all lab operations, from order creation through lab billing and analytics, giving staff one robust, reliable lab organization software to work from.
Industry Insights: The Rise and Fall of CoPath LIS - A Legacy Casualty of the Modern Lab Information System Era
A Practical Roadmap to Modernization
For labs ready to modernize and upgrade their LIS systems, these steps can guide the process:
- Assess Current Workflows: Identify manual steps and bottlenecks. Measure turnaround times, overtime, and error rates.
- Define Goals: Set targets such as reducing manual accessioning by 30 percent or halving TAT for STAT tests.
- Build a Business Case: Estimate labor savings and productivity gains. Include cost avoidance from fewer errors and less overtime.
- Select the Best LIS Software Vendor: Look for a laboratory information system software that supports all lab disciplines, integrates with existing instruments and laboratory billing systems, and offers configurable automation rules.
- Train and Involve Staff: Make sure employees understand how automation changes their role and relieves manual workload.
- Measure Results and Expand: Track efficiency and quality metrics, then roll out automation to other departments.
When laboratory personnel see that a new LIS system is designed to reduce repetitive tasks rather than replace their roles, adoption improves and morale increases.
Discover More: Four Game-Changing Business Strategies to Improve Laboratory Processes
A Balanced Approach
Technology isn't a substitute for people, but it can help medical labs remain relevant despite the lack of a deep workforce pipeline. Automation handles repetitive work, and a modern LIS system keeps data organized, compliant, and accurate. Together, they let skilled professionals focus on what only humans can do: interpret results, solve problems, and ensure quality care.
At the same time, investments in education, training, and policy support are essential. Legislation such as the Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage Relief Act of 2025 could help attract new talent and relieve financial barriers for students. Expanding program capacity and raising awareness about lab careers will also make a difference.
Editor’s Note: The Relief Act referenced above is still alive, but hasn’t advanced beyond the committee stage.
Moving Forward
The medical laboratory staffing shortage has been building for years and won't disappear soon. But labs that take action now can protect themselves from further disruption. Strengthening recruitment and retention, improving processes, and modernizing their laboratory information systems are all practical steps within reach.
High vacancy rates show that the old way of operating no longer works. Laboratories that embrace automation and flexible, connected laboratory information system software will be better equipped to maintain accuracy, speed, and financial health, even with fewer hands on deck.
Adapt and Advance
Here's your chance to discover how modern LIS software keeps labs moving forward despite the very real challenges all testing organizations face. Contact a LigoLab product specialist today and step into the future of pathology and clinical laboratory management.
Act Now: Speak with a LigoLab Product Specialist!
Frequently Asked Questions About the Medical Laboratory Staffing Shortage
How severe is the current medical laboratory staffing shortage?
Some labs are running with vacancy rates near 25 percent, and the industry overall remains short 20,000 to 25,000 professionals.
How many new lab technologist job openings are projected each year?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects nearly 21,000 job openings for lab technologists and technicians annually over the next decade, mostly to replace retiring or departing workers, with demand outpacing the supply of new graduates.
What are the main causes of the staffing shortfall?
Key causes include an aging workforce nearing retirement, lower visibility of lab careers than nursing or pharmacy, fewer training programs, average education costs of roughly $100,000, lower starting salaries than other healthcare roles, and burnout driving people to other fields.
How can modern LIS systems help labs cope with fewer staff?
Modern LIS systems automate repetitive steps like accessioning, order entry, and result validation; connect directly to analyzers and robotics; and automatically enforce quality checks, allowing labs to manage high volumes with limited staff.
Is there a real-world example of automation handling extreme workload pressure?
Yes. Avero Diagnostics used its modern LIS system and a direct-to-consumer testing portal to process over 20,000 PCR tests daily during the COVID pandemic, eliminating accessioning bottlenecks and enabling 98 percent of results to be reported within 24 hours.
What steps should a lab follow to modernize its LIS system?
A practical roadmap includes assessing current workflows, defining clear goals, building a business case with estimated labor savings, selecting the right LIS software vendor, training and involving staff, and measuring results before expanding automation to other departments.
Does any policy support address the staffing shortage?
The Medical Laboratory Personnel Shortage Relief Act of 2025 could help attract new talent and relieve financial barriers for students, alongside broader efforts to expand training program capacity and raise awareness of lab careers.
