Case Study
How Our Lab Partner Embraced Laboratory Information System Innovation and Won a Statewide Testing Contract
August 6, 2026
Editor's Note: The following case study highlights the leadership of Avero Diagnostics during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the crisis itself has ended, the lessons endure, demonstrating how strong laboratory partnerships can drive meaningful impact for patients everywhere.
Avero Diagnostics Drives Statewide COVID-19 Screening With LigoLab's Advanced Laboratory Information System Software Platform
Avero Diagnostics, formerly known as Northwest Laboratory, is an all-purpose laboratory medicine operation that has been utilizing LigoLab's laboratory information system (LIS) software since 2015. Thanks to strong leadership, the organization has become a premier provider in all aspects of clinical and pathology lab management.
Avero quickly embraced LigoLab's TestDirectly direct-to-consumer lab testing portal and became one of the first direct-to-consumer labs to integrate patient engagement and laboratory customer service software into its COVID-19 laboratory outreach solutions. With TestDirectly, the laboratory rapidly scaled up its testing capacity thanks to more streamlined laboratory workflow management and faster results turnaround.
Learn More About TestDirectly Results Time: HERE
A Mission-Critical Partnership With the Florida Department of Health
In May 2020, the Florida Department of Health partnered with Avero Diagnostics, LigoLab, and TestDirectly to launch a statewide COVID-19 screening initiative for more than 500,000 long-term care residents and employees. Powered by LigoLab's future-ready laboratory information system and direct-to-consumer lab testing platform, the program enabled the rapid identification of asymptomatic cases, helping protect vulnerable populations across 4,000 long-term care facilities in all 67 Florida counties.
"We are very grateful for the attention that TestDirectly and LigoLab have given us in support of our Florida initiative. It's been amazing for us, and we look forward to continuing that relationship. I hope others will take advantage of the opportunities that LigoLab has given Florida."
- Dayle D. Mooney, Community Preparedness, Florida Health, June 2020
Discover More: How Do I Know if My Laboratory Has Outgrown Its LIS System?
Inside Avero's Rapid Scale-Up: 190,000 Test Results in Four Weeks With TestDirectly
In just four weeks, Avero transitioned from implementing the TestDirectly direct-to-consumer lab testing platform to processing and delivering 190,000 test results, made available electronically within two to three days of specimen collection.
At the same time, the Florida Department of Health leveraged the TestDirectly portal to monitor virus prevalence in real time and coordinate with local county health departments, all in an effort to quickly isolate patients who tested positive.
Real-Time Data for Data-Driven Public Health Decisions
With access to a dedicated track-and-trace portal powered by LigoLab's molecular LIS software and laboratory outreach solutions, state public health officials were able to activate safety protocols immediately. Real-time dashboards provided comprehensive population-level visibility, along with segmented views by gender, ethnicity, zip code, age group, and other key data points, enabling faster, data-driven public health decisions across the state.
"It's been so fast and efficient that every once in a while, you have to stop and go, Is this real? When is the other shoe going to drop? It's been way too smooth for working with an entire state."
- Jennifer Bull, Chief Operations Officer, Avero Diagnostics, June 2020
Discover More: Molecular Labs Hold the Key to Evidence-Based Precision Medicine
Avero Eliminates Bottlenecks and Delays While Scaling Rapid COVID-19 Testing With LigoLab and TestDirectly
How Avero Managed Massive Testing Volume in Record Time
So how did Avero manage such a massive testing volume in such a short time?
By combining the speed of TestDirectly with the operational efficiencies of LigoLab's all-in-one Medical LIS and Lab Billing Informatics Platform.
The TestDirectly direct-to-consumer lab testing portal supported a simple yet powerful molecular lab software testing solution that removed the bottlenecks and friction responsible for delays and errors. By digitizing collection, ordering, and reporting clinical lab workflow, TestDirectly enabled Avero to scale high-volume COVID-19 testing while delivering fast and accurate results.
Moreover, because TestDirectly is web-based and interoperable with all leading laboratory information system software, it replaced paper requisitions and manual processes with a streamlined electronic workflow, expanding testing capacity, improving turnaround times, and accelerating results delivery.
Discover More: What You Need to Know Before Contracting with a Laboratory Information System (LIS) Company
Powering End-to-End Direct-to-Consumer Labs
TestDirectly enables laboratories to operate fully integrated direct-to-consumer lab testing programs by supporting the complete lifecycle of every case and specimen, from patient self-registration and scheduling through specimen collection and tracking across drive-through, walk-up, employer, and at-home testing models.
Automated Results Delivery and Seamless LIS Software Integration
TestDirectly seamlessly manages laboratory processing, results delivery (including consumer lab reports), and laboratory billing through an integrated laboratory revenue cycle management (lab RCM) module. As an intuitive molecular lab and customer service solution, it’s accessible anytime, anywhere, on any mobile device, supporting all collection and testing workflows, eliminating order-entry bottlenecks, and removing the need for manual follow-up.
Consumer lab reports are automatically delivered from the lab's LIS system to the TestDirectly portal, with patients notified via email and SMS when results are ready for secure review at TestDirectly.com.
Unified Power When Paired With LigoLab's Lab Information System Infrastructure
While TestDirectly integrates seamlessly with any laboratory information system, pairing it with the LigoLab Informatics Platform creates a truly unified laboratory workflow management solution. Combined with LigoLab's all-in-one laboratory information system and embedded laboratory revenue cycle management functionality, it establishes a single source of truth that connects every department, eliminates data silos, and preserves end-to-end data integrity across both laboratory and financial operations.
LigoLab's Integrated LIS Laboratory Information System Platform Delivers End-to-End Automation
In addition to the TestDirectly direct-to-consumer lab testing portal, LigoLab's comprehensive and fully customizable informatics platform includes feature-rich modules for anatomic pathology, clinical laboratory, molecular diagnostics, and laboratory revenue cycle management, along with all supporting modules and engines required to cover every aspect of technical operations and finances.
Labs using this modern, fully integrated LIS software platform can easily capture and verify valuable patient demographic and lab billing information on the front end of the RCM process, an advantage that leads to fewer denied claims, faster payments, and optimized cash collection, all without expensive and time-intensive manual processing of claims and resubmissions.
Discover More: Understanding the Real Costs of Non-Integrated RCM Systems
What's Next for LigoLab and Avero Diagnostics?
Expanding Operations After the Florida Success
Following the successful completion of its contract with the State of Florida, Avero Diagnostics expanded its operations and established new partnerships with the Washington State Department of Corrections and the Whatcom County Health Department.
Rapid Drive-Through Deployment Across Multiple States
Avero also led multiple TestDirectly implementations for drive-through collection sites across several states, with new locations coming online each week. TestDirectly's out-of-the-box capabilities, combined with Avero's strong internal IT expertise, enabled rapid deployment with new drive-through sites becoming fully operational within 48 to 72 hours.
As Avero continues to collaborate with LigoLab as its trusted LIS company and informatics partner, the focus remains on improving efficiency and quality across the direct-to-consumer lab testing workflow and leveraging the flexibility of LigoLab's comprehensive platform to optimize its COVID-19 operations.
Case Study: How the Washington State Department of Corrections Manages its COVID-19 Organizational Testing Program
A Lesson in How Laboratory Information System Companies Should Support Their Customers
For two decades, LigoLab has partnered with hundreds of diverse medical laboratories to help them modernise operations by reducing complexity through advanced laboratory information systems and innovative laboratory billing solutions.
By improving efficiency and strengthening decision-making across every role and department, the LigoLab platform enables diagnostic labs to differentiate in competitive markets, scale efficiently, and increase net collections.
Purpose-built to overcome the limitations of homegrown and legacy laboratory information systems, LigoLab delivers the most comprehensive and flexible medical LIS software platform available, designed to support today's demands while adapting to what comes next.
Industry Insights: How Modern LIS Systems Empower Labs Through Configurable Reporting, Seamless Integration, and True Partnership
Your Lab Deserves an LIS Software Solution That Evolves
LigoLab delivers a future-ready medical LIS and lab billing platform that grows with your organization and supports every stage of your operational and financial journey.
Let’s Talk: Schedule an Introductory Call Today!
Frequently Asked Questions About Avero Diagnostics, TestDirectly, and Large-Scale Lab Testing Partnerships
How did Avero Diagnostics win the Florida Department of Health COVID-19 testing contract?
The Florida Department of Health selected Avero Diagnostics based on its demonstrated capacity and reliability as a high-volume molecular diagnostics lab, and its early adoption of LigoLab's TestDirectly web portal, which provided the state with a scalable, electronically integrated testing and reporting platform. The contract called for screening 500,000 long-term care residents and employees across 4,000 facilities spanning all 67 Florida counties. Meeting this unprecedented demand required both operational capacity and advanced laboratory information system (LIS) technology to efficiently process thousands of specimens each day while maintaining rapid turnaround times.
How did Avero Diagnostics deliver 190,000 test results in just four weeks?
Avero achieved this volume by combining LigoLab's all-in-one medical LIS and lab billing informatics platform with the TestDirectly direct-to-consumer lab testing portal. TestDirectly digitized the entire ordering, collection, and reporting workflow, eliminating paper requisitions and manual processes that create bottlenecks. Specimens arrived at the lab pre-linked to electronic orders, enabling staff to process them immediately and deliver results electronically within two to three days of specimen collection.
What role did real-time dashboards play in the Florida COVID-19 screening program?
The Florida Department of Health used TestDirectly's track-and-trace portal, powered by LigoLab's molecular LIS and laboratory outreach solutions, to monitor virus prevalence across the state in real time. Dashboards provided both population-level overviews and segmented views by gender, ethnicity, zip code, age group, and other attributes, enabling public health officials and county health departments to activate isolation protocols and make faster, data-driven decisions as test results came in.
How quickly can a new drive-through testing site go live with TestDirectly?
Avero's experience deploying drive-through collection sites across multiple states demonstrated that new locations can be fully operational within 48 to 72 hours by utilizing TestDirectly's out-of-the-box capabilities. This rapid deployment timeline is particularly valuable for public health emergencies and large-scale organizational testing programs where speed of implementation directly impacts the effectiveness of outbreak response.
What makes TestDirectly effective for large-scale organizational testing programs?
TestDirectly's effectiveness at scale stems from its fully electronic clinical lab workflow, eliminating paper requisitions, manual data entry, and order-entry bottlenecks that constrain throughput. Patients or participants self-register digitally, specimens arrive pre-associated with complete electronic orders, and results are automatically generated and distributed to all relevant stakeholders, including patients, administrators, and public health agencies, without requiring manual follow-up from lab staff.
How does pairing TestDirectly with LigoLab's laboratory information system platform add value beyond standalone integration?
While TestDirectly integrates with any laboratory information system, pairing it with LigoLab's native LIS and lab revenue cycle management infrastructure creates a fully unified informatics environment where all clinical, operational, and financial data flows through the same shared database. This eliminates data silos, ensures end-to-end data integrity, enables the RCM cycle to begin at order entry, and gives lab leadership complete real-time visibility into both testing operations and revenue performance, a level of integration that API-based connections with separate systems cannot reliably replicate.
What lessons from the Avero Diagnostics and Florida DOH partnership apply to other labs?
The most transferable lessons are that rapid scale is achievable when labs invest in fully electronic, LIS-integrated testing workflows before they are needed; that data-driven public health response requires real-time dashboards rather than batch reporting; that eliminating manual accessioning bottlenecks is the most impactful single change a high-volume testing lab can make; and that choosing an LIS company that acts as a genuine operational partner, rather than a software vendor, is what enables labs to respond to unexpected opportunities and scale with confidence when the moment demands it.
