Best Practices Guide: Managing LIS System Timelines for Vendor Research and Implementation

Selecting and implementing a modern medical laboratory information system (LIS system) is a critical project that requires detailed planning, stakeholder collaboration, and clear communication. To ensure a successful outcome, clinical laboratories and pathology groups must follow a structured timeline that spans research of leading laboratory information system companies, LIS software evaluation, contract negotiation, and implementation. 

This guide outlines best practices across each project phase, helping lab leaders manage timelines and expectations to stay on track from discovery to go-live.

Learn More: Best Pathology Lab Reporting Software - 2025 Buyers Guide and Checklist

Phase 1: Discovery (1 Day)

Objective: Identify Your Laboratory’s Needs

Even though this phase is short, defining project goals, determining requirements, and establishing evaluation criteria is essential.

Best Practices:

• Assemble a core project team representing IT, lab operations, compliance, and laboratory revenue cycle management (lab billing operations).
  
• Clarify high-level goals, such as improved laboratory workflow management with lab information system automation, better laboratory billing accuracy, scalability, and regulatory compliance.
  
• Document current pain points with your legacy medical LIS and outline the definition of success for the new pathology lab management system.
  
• Create a prioritized list of must-have vs. nice-to-have laboratory information system functions and features covering anatomic pathology, clinical laboratory, molecular diagnostics, and lab revenue cycle management workflow.

This prep work will streamline the following phases by aligning internal stakeholders and creating a shared vision for the new LIS system software.

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Phase 2: Vendor Demonstrations (~30 Days)

Objective: Evaluate LIS Software Platforms

This month-long phase is dedicated to scheduling and attending demonstrations from qualified LIS software vendors. These demos should be structured to compare functionality and system fit.

Best Practices:

• Shortlist 3 to 5 vendors based on capabilities, reputation, and alignment with your lab’s specialty (e.g., anatomic pathology, molecular diagnostics, reference testing).
  
• Create a standardized demo script to ensure consistency in evaluating each LIS software platform (e.g., order entry, sample tracking, reporting, compliance, security, lab billing).
  
• Include key stakeholders in the demo process, especially lab managers, laboratory billing staff, IT, and leadership.
  
• Score each vendor’s platform using a weighted rubric covering usability, flexibility, integration capabilities, compliance support, and customer service.
  
• Request use-case walkthroughs, not just generic presentations. Look for proof of how the LIS system handles real-world workflow and complex scenarios.
  
• Ask about future roadmap development to assess how well the LIS company will support evolving lab needs.

Don’t treat demos as sales presentations but as the foundation for informed decision-making and a vital part of building confidence in a pathology lab software platform.

Learn More: See How LigoLab’s Laboratory Informatics Platform Rates in the CAP Today LIS System Product Guide

Phase 3: Proposal Evaluation (~30 Days)

Objective: Gather and Analyze Pricing and System Details

Once LIS system vendors complete their demonstrations, invite formal proposals that detail LIS lab software functionality, pricing, implementation scope, and support services.

Best Practices:

• Request detailed proposals that include licensing models (volume-based, per-user, or site-wide), implementation timelines and scope, third-party dependencies (e.g., instruments, cloud hosting, lab RCM clearinghouses), and maintenance and upgrade policies.
  
• Perform a total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis, accounting for direct and indirect costs over 5 years.
  
• Evaluate service and support models (e.g., training, go-live support, dedicated representatives).
  
• Review case studies and customer references to validate LIS company claims and assess satisfaction.
  
• Meet with vendor technical teams to review LIS system architecture, data migration, and security protocols.

At the end of this phase, the project team should meet to rank LIS vendors and prepare for final selection and contracting.

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

Phase 4: Contracting (~30 Days)

Objective: Finalize Legal and Business Terms

This phase focuses on negotiating a fair, transparent contract with all technical, operational, and legal commitments included.

Best Practices:

• Engage legal and procurement teams early to avoid delays and surprises.
  
• Negotiate terms that protect your lab, including service level agreements (SLAs) for uptime and support, data ownership and access rights, termination clauses and penalties, and escalation paths for unresolved issues.
  
• Clarify implementation responsibilities, such as who owns what (vendor vs. lab team) and how change requests will be handled.
  
• Document integration commitments with instruments, lab billing services, or electronic health record (EHR) systems.
  
• Ensure alignment on go-live criteria and success metrics.

Avoid rushing through this phase, as many labs overlook contract fine print only to face major issues post-launch, such as a nickel and dime approach from the lab vendor for every change request.

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Phase 5: Implementation (3 to 9 Months)

Objective: Configure, Test, Train, and Deploy

Depending on lab size and complexity, lab information system implementation timelines can range from 3 to 9 months. This phase includes LIS software configuration, system integration, data migration, staff training, parallel testing, and go-live.

Best Practices:

• Assign an internal project manager to coordinate milestones, timelines, and vendor communication.
  
• Start with a kickoff meeting involving all vendor and lab stakeholders to set expectations and review the project plan.
  
• Adopt a phased implementation approach, starting with core functionality and layering on advanced modules later.
  
• Involve department leads early to build ownership and reduce resistance to change.
  
• Dedicate thorough validation and testing time, including workflow simulations, interface testing (instruments, EHR, billing), and parallel runs with the legacy LIS system.
  
• Train superusers and staff in waves, using hands-on sessions with actual LIS lab scenarios.
  
• Create SOPs and support documentation tailored to your configured system.
  
• Plan for go-live support, such as on-site vendor resources and a hyper-care period to resolve early issues quickly.

Don’t underestimate the human side of change. Adoption will depend heavily on training quality, LIS system performance, and ongoing communication.

Industry Insights: Empowering Laboratories - The Benefits of Full Agency Over LIS System Configuration

Final Thoughts: Staying on Track

An LIS project touches every corner of a lab’s operation - clinical, technical, financial, and administrative. It’s not just a software upgrade but an opportunity to improve efficiency, reduce errors, grow as an enterprise, and deliver better patient care.

Key Success Factors:

• Define clear project ownership and accountability
  
• Stick to a realistic and well-documented timeline
  
• Regularly communicate progress with stakeholders
  
• Track risks, decisions, and open items in a central log
  
• Celebrate milestones and recognize contributions

Learn More: Keys to Keeping Your LIS System Implementation on Track

LigoLab: Redefining Innovation in LIS Software

In the laboratory information system software industry, “innovation” is a word that gets thrown around too easily. But for clinical laboratories and pathology groups facing rising test volumes, shrinking reimbursements, labor shortages, and growing payer complexity, innovation isn’t a tagline - it’s a lifeline.

That’s where LigoLab stands apart.

Since 2006, LigoLab has built its reputation on real, customer-driven innovation. As a pathology LIS company rooted in deep collaboration with its user base, LigoLab has consistently delivered forward-thinking solutions that streamline operations, drive automation, and improve financial performance.

Unlike LIS vendors driven by private equity timelines and shareholder returns, LigoLab chose a different path - self-funding its growth to stay fully aligned with the needs of its customers. That independence fuels a product roadmap focused on long-term value, not short-term gains.

The result? A modern LIS platform that evolves with your lab, not around it.

Ready to break free from outdated LIS systems and rigid vendor models? See what true LIS innovation looks like.

Contact a LigoLab Product Specialist!