A Rising Tide Lifts All Boats - LigoLab’s Approach to Upgrades

Why LIS System Updates Matter More Than Ever, and How LigoLab Gets Them Right

Running a successful clinical laboratory or pathology practice today requires far more than operational competence. Laboratory leaders are navigating an environment defined by relentless pressure: increasing test volume, workforce shortages, payer reimbursement compression, consolidation, and rising expectations for speed, accuracy, and transparency.

At the center of all this sits the laboratory information system (LIS).

Many labs know change is necessary. What’s less certain is how to make that change without creating disruption - or worse, investing in a LIS system that becomes obsolete in just a few years. In an industry where margins are thin and implementations are complex, laboratories cannot afford to choose the wrong LIS software solution.

That’s where LigoLab takes a fundamentally different approach.

Rather than treating medical LIS software as a static product, LigoLab delivers a continuously evolving informatics platform, one built to grow alongside modern laboratories and supported by an aligned pricing and partnership model designed for long-term success.

Discover More: The LigoLab Partnership with Summit Pathology - A Lab Success Story

The Reality Labs Face Today

Clinical laboratories and pathology practices are under constant strain from forces largely outside their control:

• Demand for more advanced, flexible, and interoperable laboratory software systems
• Ongoing consolidation and competitive pressure
• Persistent staffing shortages
• Declining reimbursement rates from payers
• Expectations for faster turnaround times and better visibility

In this environment, an LIS software must do more than “work.” It must adapt - quickly and safely - without interrupting operations or creating hidden costs.

Yet many labs remain trapped on legacy LIS systems that were never designed for this level of change.

Discover More: What You Need to Know Before Contracting with a Laboratory Information System (LIS) Company

Modern LIS Systems vs. Legacy LIS: A Critical Distinction

Legacy LIS system platforms typically share a few defining characteristics:

• Rigid architectures that limit configurability
• Infrequent upgrades, often bundled into disruptive, costly release cycles
• Per-feature or per-user fees that discourage innovation
• Vendor-controlled timelines, leaving labs waiting months - or years - for improvements

These clinical and pathology LIS systems force laboratories to adapt their workflows to the diagnostic lab software, rather than the other way around. Over time, this creates inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and growing technical debt.

Modern LIS system platforms operate differently.

A modern LIS medical solution is:

• Highly configurable without custom code
• Continuously updated rather than periodically overhauled
• Designed for scale across disciplines and facilities
• Supported by transparent pricing that encourages adoption, not restriction

LigoLab was built from the ground up with this modern philosophy in mind.

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

A Platform Built to Evolve - Not Just Deploy

For two decades, LigoLab has refined its all-in-one laboratory information system + lab revenue cycle management (lab RCM) platform in partnership with laboratories nationwide. The result is a highly configurable system that supports the complete specimen lifecycle, from order entry to remittance, across clinical and pathology environments.

But what truly differentiates LigoLab is not just what the platform does; it’s how it evolves.

Unlike legacy LIS vendors that gate innovation behind expensive upgrade projects, LigoLab treats system updates as a core component of the partnership.

Discover More: LigoLab’s LIS Software Platform vs. Legacy Laboratory Information Systems - Which Aligns Best with Your Lab's Future?

LigoLab’s Community-Driven Approach to LIS Software Updates

All LigoLab LIS software upgrades are included in its aligned licensing model. There are no surprise fees, forced migrations, or paid access to innovations that other customers have already helped shape.

Features developed in response to one laboratory’s needs are made available to all LigoLab partners at no additional cost.

This community-grown approach benefits everyone:

• Laboratories gain access to new functionality without incremental licensing fees
• The platform improves faster through real-world use cases
• Innovation is shared rather than siloed

In short, what’s good for one lab strengthens the entire ecosystem.

Discover More: Why “The Safe Move” to a New Version of Legacy LIS Software Is the Wrong Move for Medical Labs

A Controlled, Lab-First Upgrade Process

Continuous innovation does not mean uncontrolled change. LigoLab pairs frequent enhancements with a rigorously structured upgrade methodology that puts laboratories firmly in control.

Three Environments, One Seamless Process

1. Test Environment
The test environment receives automatic daily updates, often averaging multiple feature enhancements per day. Before any update is released, it undergoes extensive automated regression testing against each lab’s specific configuration, a process that can exceed ten hours.

2. Training Environment
Updates are promoted to the training environment only when the laboratory is ready to validate a specific version. This allows staff to test workflows, confirm changes, and prepare users without impacting live operations.

3. Production (Live) Environment
Production upgrades occur only at the lab’s request and are scheduled entirely at the customer’s convenience. LigoLab’s team is available, including weekends, to support upgrades that fit the lab’s operational schedule.

This structure ensures stability, predictability, and confidence, qualities often missing from legacy LIS system upgrade cycles.

Discover More: Market Differentiation and Unmatched Customer Service - Two Major Reasons Why You Should Consider LigoLab for Your LIS System Upgrade

Support That Matches the Pace of Innovation

LigoLab’s approach to LIS software updates is reinforced by enterprise-grade support.

• A dedicated support team is available to respond to issues within minutes
• Hotfixes are deployed at no cost
• Upgrade assistance is included in the licensing model

Feature requests that require immediate delivery may be scoped separately, but enhancement ideas that fit within LigoLab’s development roadmap are collected and delivered at no additional charge.

This balance allows labs to move quickly when necessary while benefiting from long-term platform evolution.

White Paper: Vendor to Partner - How Aligning with Your LIS Provider Can Transform Your Lab

Aligned Pricing: Why LigoLab’s Model Changes the Equation

Perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of LIS system software is pricing.

Traditional LIS vendors often rely on per-user, per-module, or per-interface fees. These models actively discourage growth. Every new lab workflow, automation rule, or user becomes a cost center rather than a strategic advantage.

LigoLab takes the opposite approach.

Its aligned pricing model ties LIS software costs to diagnostic testing volume, not artificial constraints. As laboratories grow, LigoLab grows with them. There are no penalties for adding users, expanding automation, or improving workflows.

This alignment creates a true partnership:

• Labs are free to innovate without financial friction
• Lab vendors are incentivized to support efficiency and scale
• Success is shared rather than extracted

It’s a model designed for sustainability, not short-term licensing revenue.

Discover More: Why Medical Labs Should Consider Deeper Alignment with Their LIS System Partner

Control, Transparency, and Long-Term Confidence

The Latin word “ligo” means “to unite,” and that principle is embedded throughout the platform.

With LigoLab, laboratories control:

• When upgrades occur
• How configurations evolve
• Which features are adopted, and when

Rather than being dictated by a LIS vendor’s release calendar, labs retain autonomy over their LIS systems while benefiting from continuous innovation.

This is the fundamental difference between a modern LIS partnership and a legacy LIS software contract.

Discover More: Take Back Control of Your Practice with LigoLab's Sub-Licensing Arrangement

A Strategic Partner for the Long Run

Nobody understands your laboratory’s business better than you do. LigoLab’s role is not to impose change, but to support it, on your terms, on your timeline, and without hidden costs.

When you’re ready for an upgrade, LigoLab is prepared to assist. When your lab grows, the platform grows with you. And when the industry changes (as it inevitably will), you’re not forced back into another costly LIS system replacement.

You’re supported by a partner that has aligned its success with yours.

Case Study: Summit Pathology - Achieving Laboratory Profitability Amidst Operational Pressures

Ready to Learn More?

To explore how LigoLab’s modern approach to LIS system updates, aligned pricing, and continuous innovation can support your laboratory’s long-term growth, request a personalized demonstration and speak with a LigoLab LIS product specialist today.

Discover how a truly modern LIS software platform can evolve with your lab, without compromise.

Act Now: Speak with a Product Specialist!‍