How Our Lab Partner Embraced Laboratory Information System Innovation and Won a Statewide Testing Contract

Avero Diagnostics (formerly known as Northwest Laboratory) is a fast-growing all-purpose laboratory medicine operation that’s used LigoLab’s laboratory information system software (LIS software) since 2015 and has quickly become an industry leader in all aspects of pathology lab management. 

Avero quickly embraced LigoLab’s TestDirectly direct-to-consumer lab testing portal and became the first lab to integrate this patient engagement and laboratory customer service software into their COVID-19 laboratory outreach solutions. With it, the laboratory was able to quickly scale up its testing capacity thanks to a more streamlined laboratory workflow and faster TestDirectly results time (via TestDirectly.com). 

In May 2020, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) partnered with Avero, LigoLab, and TestDirectly (TestDirectly.com) to screen the state’s 500,000 long-term care (LTC) residents and employees for COVID-19. Supported by LigoLab’s medical laboratory solutions for lab workflow management and direct-to-consumer lab testing, the Florida initiative identified asymptomatic patients and protected senior citizens living in 4,000 facilities located in 67 counties throughout the state. 

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“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

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In just four weeks, Avero went from TestDirectly implementation to producing 190,000 test results that were available electronically within 2-to-3 days of collection, all while Florida’s DOH was leveraging the TestDirectly direct-to-consumer lab testing portal to monitor virus prevalence in real-time, and working with local county health departments throughout the state to isolate those who tested positive. 

State public health officials were able to immediately initiate safety protocols because they had access to a dedicated track and trace portal supported by LigoLab’s molecular LIS and TestDirectly’s laboratory outreach solutions, giving them a real-time dashboard view of the population as a whole, and as segmented parts (sorted by gender, ethnicity, zip codes, age groups, etc.).

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“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 for Avero - June 2020

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So how was Avero able to manage such a massive amount of diagnostic testing in such a short period? By leveraging TestDirectly results time and the efficiencies created by LigoLab's LIS & RCM Laboratory Informatics Platform. 

The TestDirectly direct-to-consumer lab testing portal gives laboratories a simple yet innovative tool that eliminates the bottlenecks and friction that lead to delays and errors. It positions them to scale up with COVID-19 collection, testing, and reporting workflows that produce the desired fast and accurate test results.

TestDirectly is web-based and designed to connect with all laboratory information systems (LIS systems), no matter who the laboratory information system vendors might be, to replace paper requisitions and manual labor with a streamlined electronic workflow that boosts testing capacity and improves turnaround time. 

TestDirectly creates direct-to-consumer labs by supporting the complete life-cycle of a case and a specimen, including patient self-registration and scheduling, sample collection and sample tracking (drive-through, walk-ups, employer testing, etc.), laboratory processing, report delivery (including consumer lab reports), and laboratory billing operations. 

TestDirectly is both a molecular lab software and a laboratory customer service software that’s intuitive and accessible from anywhere at any time on any mobile device. It supports all collection and testing workflows, removes the order entry bottleneck, and frees laboratories from any follow-up because reports are automatically delivered from the LIS system to the TestDirectly portal, and patients are notified (via email and/or SMS) when their results are ready to be reviewed at TestDirectly.com. 

TestDirectly diagnostic lab software works with any lab information system, but when coupled with the LigoLab platform and its medical laboratory solutions, it seamlessly becomes a part of one united pathology lab management infrastructure that connects all departments, removes all data silos, and ensures end-to-end data integrity for the complete lifecycle of all laboratory and financial operations. 

In addition to the TestDirectly direct-to-consumer lab testing portal, LigoLab’s comprehensive and fully customizable informatics platform also includes powerful modules for anatomic pathology (LIS pathology), clinical laboratory (LIS medical), molecular diagnostics (molecular LIS), and laboratory revenue cycle management (lab RCM), along with every supporting module and engine needed to cover every aspect of laboratory operations. 

Labs using this fully integrated LIS software platform can easily capture and verify valuable patient demographic and lab billing information on the front end of the laboratory billing process, a major advantage that leads to fewer denied claims, faster payments, and optimized cash collection, all without the need for expensive and time-intensive manual processing of claims and resubmissions. 

What’s Next for LigoLab and Avero Diagnostics?

After successfully fulfilling its contract with the state of Florida, Avero Diagnostics has expanded its operations and formed new partnerships with the Washington State Department of Corrections and the Whatcom County Health Department. 

The laboratory has also successfully managed TestDirectly implementations for several drive-through collection sites in multiple states, and new locations are being added every week. TestDirectly’s out-of-the-box solution and a strong IT department have made this possible, enabling quick 48-to-72-hour turnarounds for new drive-through locations to become operational. 

Avero continues to collaborate with LigoLab as its LIS company to identify any part of the direct-to-consumer lab testing process that can become more efficient and quality-driven. Thanks to the flexible nature of LigoLab Informatics Platform, the laboratory has been able to streamline its COVID-19 workflow with enhancements like batch scanning, plate mapping, and sample pooling. 

This is How Laboratory Information System Companies Should Support Their Customers  

For two decades, LigoLab has successfully partnered with hundreds of diverse medical laboratory facilities to help them modernize by reducing complexity with innovation and standardization. By optimizing efficiency and enhancing decision-making capabilities for every role and department within a laboratory, the LigoLab LIS & RCM Laboratory Informatics Platform™ empowers its customers to differentiate, scale efficiently, improve compliance, and increase net collections.  

LigoLab’s platform does what homegrown and legacy LIS systems can’t. It is the most comprehensive and flexible LIS software on the market. The best LIS should evolve as a laboratory grows, providing more features and support while guiding its lab partners on their operational and financial journey. That’s what the LigoLab platform does for its customers.

Ready to see and experience the LigoLab difference? 

Contact us today.

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