How Molecular Test Orders are Accessioned in Lab with LigoLab's LIS System

LigoLab's molecular LIS module processes test orders in six steps: starting a new order, entering patient and laboratory billing details, adding ICD-10 codes and specimens, saving the order to trigger automation, printing labels, and attaching documents. The entire process runs on one shared lab database software, eliminating duplicate data entry and the disconnected systems common in legacy molecular LIS platforms.

The Post-Pandemic Pivot in Molecular LIS Diagnostics

Now that healthcare operations have returned to normal after the chaotic COVID-19 pandemic, molecular diagnostics laboratories that invested heavily in PCR testing technology and infrastructure can pivot and expand their services. With the focus no longer on COVID testing, these laboratories can broaden their test menus and offer clients a wider range of molecular diagnostic services.

With modern, flexible molecular lab testing software, particularly advanced medical laboratory information system (LIS) software, organizations can configure new analytical workflows and repurpose capacity that was once dedicated to high-throughput COVID testing. This adaptability enables molecular labs to respond quickly to evolving diagnostic needs and direct their resources to other in-demand molecular LIS testing workflows, including:

• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Fungal pathogens
• Respiratory pathogens
• Viral pathogens

What Makes LigoLab's Molecular Lab Software Solution Different?

LigoLab's all-in-one laboratory information system, which includes integrated laboratory billing and direct-to-consumer lab testing capabilities (via TestDirectly), is a comprehensive, highly configurable diagnostic lab software platform well suited to support modern molecular LIS workflows.

The platform includes powerful modules and automation that operate on a shared lab database software infrastructure. This integrated architecture streamlines clinical lab workflow and eliminates the challenges commonly associated with fragmented laboratory software systems, such as duplicate data entry, data inconsistencies, limited automation, and reduced operational visibility.

Several elements of LigoLab's molecular lab software module compare favorably against competing laboratory information systems. One key area is accessioning within the molecular LIS workflow.

Discover More: The Future of LIS Systems and Personalized Medicine

Step-by-Step: How Test Orders Are Accessioned in LigoLab's Molecular LIS Module

The Molecular LIS module supports every role and department with flexible, role-based permissions. Administrator users have full access to all workflow queues, modules, and departments. For other users, administrators can customize permissions so they see only the workflow queues and information relevant to their responsibilities as specimens move from accessioning through processing.

Step 1: How Do You Start a New Molecular Test Order in LigoLab?

To start accessioning a manual order, the user clicks the New Order workflow queue button in the Ordering Module.

There’s also a Remote Orders workflow queue. This is where orders from a customer's electronic health record (EHR) interface or LigoLab Web Connect first enter the lab with pre-populated fields. The Remote Orders lab workflow queue also supports incoming orders from TestDirectly, LigoLab's direct-to-consumer lab testing portal.

Step 2: What Order Details Need to Be Filled In During Accessioning?

Next, the workflow continues with a manual order entered through the New Order queue. After creating the order, the accessioning user adds the required information in the Order Details window.

The Order Details window includes three tabs, General, Patient, and Billing, with required fields that must be completed before an order can be saved. These fields are highlighted in red and typically include Client, Ordering Provider, Patient Last Name, and Patient First Name. Many laboratories also require the Payment Source field. This helps ensure that essential billing information is captured during accessioning.

When you enter the patient's name and date of birth, LigoLab's molecular LIS module automatically checks for an existing patient profile; if it finds a match, a pop-up window appears, allowing the user to link the current order to the existing profile.

Additionally, the laboratory information system supports real-time address validation through integrations with the United States Postal Service and Whitepages. Users can trigger this feature by clicking the blue icon to the right of the Street field, or the adjacent WP icon.

LigoLab customers who have also licensed the platform's laboratory revenue cycle management module can also use real-time insurance eligibility checks and insurance discovery validation. Both provide significant advantages by improving clean claim rates while reducing compliance risk and potential liability. 

Discover More: Comparing LigoLab Informatics Platform with Legacy Laboratory Information System Software

Step 3: How Are ICD-10 Codes, Tests, and Specimens Added to an Order?

From here, the user goes to the Order Data tab in the Order Details window to add the ICD-10 codes, tests, and specimens. The Quick Add option displays a complete list of the lab's tests and panels, and this can be customized per customer.

A second shortcut option also supports frequently ordered tests or panels. Once configured within the laboratory information system, these shortcuts save time for labs with large test menus.

Users can also capture more data and add it to the order via the Supplemental Data fields. This area includes checkboxes and free-text options, and downstream users can view all info captured here. Users can also add the data to the lab report as needed.

The final section in the Order Data tab is dedicated to specimen entry. Best practice is to enter all specimens received with the case under a single order, unless they arrived as separate orders from the customer's EHR.

The molecular LIS module uses intelligent, rules-based logic to anticipate workflow requirements. For example, it can automatically determine when a specimen needs aliquoting for downstream processing. Once an order is saved, the LIS assigns each specimen a unique identifier, enabling accurate tracking throughout its entire laboratory lifecycle. 

A swab, for example, can be automatically added to the Specimens section based on the combination of tests selected above it. Users can also add specimens manually, and each specimen has a built-in shortcut they can type into the Quick Add field.

Next, the user clicks the Save button to save the order. If there are any issues with the order, LigoLab's medical LIS sends a notification and asks the user to confirm the order before proceeding.

Step 4: What Happens When the Order Is Saved?

Once the order is saved, the LIS system generates an accession number and assigns each specimen and test a unique identifier. Tests can then be grouped into reports based on the lab's preferred workflow. For example, a lab may choose to combine all molecular tests into a single report or generate separate reports for UTI and STI results. The LIS platform fully supports these configurations, along with many other variations.

It's also common for the LIS system's automation to fire when the order is being saved. At this point, the molecular LIS module checks if the order includes all relevant information (client, patient's age, what testing was ordered, whether other specimens need to be made, whether subtests need to be added, etc.).

Step 5: How Does Label Printing and Document Attachment Work? 

After the order is saved, a Label Print window automatically appears. We recommend printing one label per specimen, with the specimen identifier embedded in the barcode. This ensures accurate, error-free sample tracking as each specimen is scanned throughout every stage of the clinical lab workflow.

Get Insight: How Specimen Tracking Software Improves Efficiency and Reduces the Chance of Diagnostic Errors

The lower section of the Label Print window includes Lab Order Labels. For manually accessioned in-lab orders, we recommend labeling each page with a barcoded sticker. This lets the user scan documents such as the original requisition, insurance details, and lab billing information as Lab Order Attachments, so any lab technician can easily access them during specimen processing. Users can also batch-scan these documents later in the workflow.

Step 6: What Happens After the Order Is Complete?

Once the Lab Order Attachments window is closed, the molecular LIS module is ready for the next order. The newly accessioned case and its scheduled tests automatically populate the appropriate workflow queues in the molecular lab software, signaling that processing can begin.

Is Manual Accessioning Ever Still Practical for a Molecular Lab?

For a very new or extremely low-volume molecular lab, say, one processing only a handful of specimens per week during a soft launch, a simpler, largely manual accessioning log might feel adequate in the short term, since the volume doesn't yet justify the full configuration effort of EHR integration, automated eligibility checks, and barcode label workflows.

That said, this approach doesn't scale. As volume grows, manual processes introduce more opportunities for duplicate patient profiles, mismatched specimens, and delayed insurance verification, exactly the errors that automated accessioning is designed to prevent. Most labs find that configuring the digital workflow early, even before volume demands it, pays off by avoiding a disruptive transition later.

Continue Your Research

• Solution Page: The Future of LIS Systems and Personalized Medicine
• Platform Comparison: Comparing LigoLab Informatics Platform with Legacy Laboratory Information System Software
• Specimen Tracking: How Specimen Tracking Software Improves Efficiency and Reduces the Chance of Diagnostic Errors

Ready to See LigoLab's Molecular LIS Accessioning Workflow for Yourself?

Discover how LigoLab's advanced molecular lab testing software can elevate your organization's performance. Fill out our request-a-demo form to schedule a quick introductory call.

Act Now: Book Your LIS Software Demo Today!

Frequently Asked Questions About Molecular LIS Accessioning

What is accessioning in a molecular diagnostics lab?

Accessioning is the process of formally receiving, logging, and preparing a test order for processing. It includes capturing patient demographics, test selections, specimen details, and payment information, and assigning each specimen a unique identifier for tracking throughout the lab workflow.

What is a molecular LIS, and why does it matter?

A molecular laboratory information system (LIS) is clinical laboratory management software that manages the end-to-end workflow of molecular diagnostic testing, from order entry and accessioning through results reporting and lab billing. A modern molecular LIS like the LigoLab Informatics Platform reduces manual errors, automates key steps, and integrates with EHR systems and lab billing platforms for seamless operations.

How does LigoLab's LIS handle accession numbers?

After saving an order in LigoLab's molecular LIS module, the system automatically generates an accession number and assigns each specimen and test a unique identifier. This enables error-free tracking as specimens move through every stage of the lab workflow.

Can LigoLab's LIS lab solution integrate with EHR systems?

Yes. LigoLab's LIS software supports direct EHR integration, enabling pre-populated orders to flow automatically into the Remote Orders workflow queue, eliminating manual re-entry and accelerating turnaround time from the moment a requisition is submitted.

What makes LigoLab different from other laboratory information systems?

Unlike legacy laboratory information systems built from separate modules and lab vendors, LigoLab runs every module: clinical lab, molecular diagnostics, anatomic pathology, and lab billing, on a single shared lab database architecture, eliminating typical bottlenecks such as duplicate data entry, data inconsistencies, limited automation, and reduced operational visibility.

Is manual accessioning ever a reasonable option for a molecular lab?

Only in very low-volume, early-stage settings. Manual accessioning can feel manageable at a very small scale. Still, it doesn't hold up as volume grows, since it reintroduces duplicate profiles, mismatched specimens, and delayed eligibility checks that automated accessioning is designed to eliminate.

‍