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How to Set Up a Committee to Select a Laboratory Information System
June 11, 2026
Selecting a new laboratory information system (LIS) is one of the most important decisions a diagnostic testing organization can make. The right LIS software platform can improve operational efficiency, address staffing challenges, enhance laboratory workflow management, and provide greater visibility. Given the strategic impact of this investment, establishing a dedicated LIS System Selection Committee helps ensure a comprehensive and well-informed evaluation process.
Here is a helpful outline of the typical steps that laboratory leadership should take to establish an effective selection committee.
Industry Insights: Best LIS Systems - Top Laboratory Information Systems Compared for Clinical, Pathology, and Outreach Labs
Step 1: Define the Committee’s Objective
Start by clearly defining the objective of the Laboratory Information System Selection Committee. It should include identifying the need for a new or upgraded LIS medical software solution, outlining the scope of the project, and setting clear goals for what the new LIS lab application should achieve, such as:
- Improved turnaround times and enhanced sample tracking.
- Integration with modern digital pathology solutions.
- Seamless interoperability with all other laboratory software systems.
- Maximized efficiency across all departments.
- Clinical lab workflow automation and removal of bottlenecks.
- Compliance with regulatory standards.
Step 2: Choose the Right Members
The composition of the committee is critical to its success. Ideally, it should be a cross-functional team comprising members from various departments, including IT directors, pathologists, medical directors, laboratory management, quality control, laboratory billing, and actual users of the diagnostic lab software, such as medical laboratory technologists. A bold project champion willing to challenge the standard approach should lead the committee.
Key Committee Roles
Project Champion: A bold leader able to galvanize the committee and willing to challenge conventional thinking that can prioritize the status quo over innovation.
Project Manager: Someone who will manage the selection process, ensuring the team meets timelines and milestones throughout.
Technical Expert: An IT professional who understands the technical requirements and can liaise with laboratory information system vendors on technical matters.
Laboratory Staff: Representatives who understand daily workflows and can assess how well various laboratory software systems meet real operational requirements.
Including stakeholders from different levels and functions enables a variety of perspectives to help identify a lab information system that completely fits the organization’s needs.
Choose Innovation Over the Status Quo
Bold leadership is important because when assembling a committee, organizations often succumb to the inertia of the status quo. Committees, by design, can become echo chambers that favor familiar solutions over innovative ones. This leads to decisions that reinforce existing inefficiencies.
Breaking this cycle requires a champion within the committee who is willing to challenge conventional thought and encourage calculated risks that could yield significant advancements. By steering the committee toward modern technologies and forward-thinking solutions, a strong leader can transform the LIS system selection process, resulting not only in the adoption of more powerful laboratory information system software but also in a strategic move that positions the organization at the forefront of technological progress.
Why CEO-Level Support Is Essential
For such a committee to be truly effective, it must receive authority from the highest levels of leadership, specifically, the CEO. By granting the committee autonomy and insulating it from organizational politics, the CEO ensures that the decision-making process remains focused on the organization's strategic objectives rather than individual agendas. Strong support from executive leadership not only reinforces the importance of selecting a new healthcare LIS but also helps drive the initiative forward.
White Paper: Best Practices Guide - Managing LIS System Timelines for Vendor Research and Implementation
Step 3: Develop LIS System Selection Criteria
Before reviewing specific LIS system options from various laboratory information system companies, the committee should develop a set of selection criteria based on the laboratory's requirements. These criteria should include required laboratory information system functions, compatibility with existing hardware and software, user-friendliness, scalability, the LIS vendor's support and training for its LIS model, and total cost of ownership.
Step 4: Conduct Market Research
With the selection criteria in hand, the next step is thorough market research to identify potential laboratory information system vendors and their LIS systems. This involves attending trade shows, seeking recommendations from other laboratories, and performing online research. Many labs use the annual CAP Today checklists for anatomical pathology software and laboratory information systems as key resources.
- CAP Today Resource #1: Anatomic Pathology Computer Systems
- CAP Today Resource #2: Laboratory Information Systems
Discover More: Comparing LigoLab Informatics Platform with Legacy Laboratory Information System Software
Discover More: How Tiered LIS System Pricing Delivers a Tailored Fit and Maximum Value
Step 5: Request for Proposal (RFP) Process
Prepare and send a Request for Proposal (RFP) to the shortlisted LIS vendors, detailing your laboratory's specific needs and requesting in-depth information on how their laboratory information systems can meet those requirements. The RFP responses will provide a comprehensive basis for comparing LIS systems, options, and features.
To view a completed RFP template as a reference, click HERE.
Step 6: Evaluate Responses and Refine LIS System Choices
Once RFP responses have been received, the selection committee should evaluate each submission against its established criteria. Before beginning the review process, the organization should identify the essential capabilities and requirements that its laboratory information system must support. Any vendor unable to meet these critical requirements should be removed from consideration early.
Eight Non-Negotiable LIS System Features
Embedded Sample Tracking and Handling Functionality: The LIS system must have robust capabilities to track and manage samples throughout their lifecycle, preventing errors and ensuring integrity.
Flexibility and Autonomy: The LIS software should enable users to self-manage all aspects, offering customization options that do not require LIS company intervention or additional cost for every change or update.
Rule and Automation Engines: These sophisticated engines support extensive automation to streamline workflows, reduce manual tasks, and minimize the potential for errors.
Dashboarding and Reporting Capabilities: Advanced LIS system tools for creating dashboards and reports that provide deep insights into operational and financial health, enabling data-driven decision-making.
Integrated LIS and RCM Modules: Integrating laboratory revenue cycle management (lab RCM) and LIS system functionality into a single informatics platform to enhance laboratory billing accuracy, reduce reimbursement times, and streamline administrative processes.
Proven Scalability: The LIS system must demonstrate scalability that supports growth without performance bottlenecks or the need for significant additional investments at each stage of lab expansion.
Integrated Interface Engine: An embedded interface engine to eliminate the need for middleware, facilitating seamless connectivity to various instrumentation and expanding interoperability with other laboratory software systems.
Best-in-Class Customer Service: Exceptional support ensuring all issues are promptly and effectively addressed, facilitating uninterrupted laboratory operations.
Selecting an LIS system without these critical features could significantly hinder your lab's efficiency, growth, and financial viability. Treat these elements as mandatory when evaluating potential LIS systems.
White Paper: How LigoLab Delivers CIO-Level Insight Through Real-World Lab Experience
Step 7: Conduct LIS System Demos
Arrange for demonstrations from the top contenders to see their laboratory information system software in action. Be sure to include end users in the demos so they can assess the LIS software for usability and functionality in real-world scenarios.
Discover More: What You Need to Know Before Contracting with a Laboratory Information System (LIS) Company
Step 8: Check References and Site Visits
Before making a final decision, check references provided by the laboratory information system vendors to learn from the experiences of other laboratories using their systems. If possible, arrange site visits to assess performance in an environment similar to your lab's layout, providing firsthand confirmation of real-world performance.
Step 9: Make the LIS System Selection
Based on the thorough evaluation of the LIS system, the committee should recommend the best LIS software platform that meets the laboratory's needs. The selection committee should present this recommendation to the senior management team and the decision-making body for final approval.
Step 10: Plan for LIS System Implementation
After the LIS system selection, the committee's role may shift toward implementation planning, ensuring a smooth transition and minimizing disruption to laboratory operations throughout the go-live process.
White Paper: Keys to Keeping Your LIS System Implementation on Track
A Strategic Approach to Ensure the Lab Selects the Best LIS
Setting up a Laboratory Information System Selection Committee is a strategic approach to ensure the laboratory selects the most suitable information system to meet its needs. By following these ten steps, organizations can make informed decisions about clinical and pathology lab management software systems that enhance operations and support high-quality patient care.
One final consideration is establishing a target go-live date early in the process and working backward to develop a realistic implementation timeline. Doing so helps ensure the LIS selection, contracting, implementation, training, and validation phases remain aligned with the organization's deployment goals, enabling the laboratory to modernize operations and prepare for future growth.
Setting up the committee is a critical first step toward modernization and a vital step toward avoiding the dire consequences of indecision.
Discover More: Cost of Inaction - The Dire Consequences of Neglecting Modernization in Laboratory Operations and Informatics
LigoLab’s All-in-One Laboratory Information System and Lab Billing Platform
The LigoLab Informatics Platform is an all-in-one laboratory information system and laboratory revenue cycle management solution designed to help pathology groups and clinical labs digitally transform into modern, efficient, and profitable organizations.
LigoLab’s enterprise-grade LIS software platform features dedicated modules for anatomic pathology, clinical laboratory, molecular diagnostics, laboratory billing, and direct-to-consumer lab testing (TestDirectly), all embedded within an integrated lab database software infrastructure. The platform eliminates data silos, ensures maximum interoperability across all departments, and features powerful rule and automation engines that enable users to build custom workflows and automate complex processes.
Ready to Find the Best LIS System for Your Lab?
Contact a product specialist and request your personalized LIS software demonstration today.
Act Now: Contact a LigoLab Product Specialist!
Frequently Asked Questions About Forming a Lab Information System Selection Committee and Choosing the Best LIS
Why is forming a selection committee important when choosing a new LIS system?
A Laboratory Information System Selection Committee ensures that the LIS software decision reflects input from all key stakeholders, including pathologists, lab managers, IT staff, billing personnel, and bench-level users. This cross-functional perspective reduces the risk of selecting a system that works well for one department but creates friction for others, and it aligns the final decision with the lab's strategic and operational objectives.
Who should be on a Laboratory Information System Selection Committee?
The committee should include a Project Champion who will drive innovation beyond the status quo, a Project Manager to oversee timelines and milestones, a Technical Expert to assess integration and infrastructure requirements, and Laboratory Staff who understand daily workflows. CEO-level backing is essential to ensure the committee has the authority and autonomy to make decisions based on strategic merit.
What are the most common mistakes labs make when selecting a new LIS system?
The most common mistakes include defaulting to familiar lab vendors rather than evaluating innovative alternatives, failing to involve end users in the evaluation process, underestimating the importance of scalability and integration capabilities, choosing a system based on upfront cost alone without considering total cost of ownership, and delaying the decision until the current system reaches a crisis point.
What non-negotiable features should every LIS system include?
Every LIS system under consideration should include embedded sample tracking, full user-configurable flexibility without requiring vendor intervention, rule and automation engines, advanced dashboarding and reporting capabilities, integrated LIS and lab billing modules, proven scalability, an embedded interface engine for seamless interoperability, and best-in-class customer service and support.
How long does a typical LIS system selection and implementation process take?
A well-managed LIS system transition, from initial research through go-live, typically takes 15 to 18 months. It includes approximately six months for vendor research and evaluation, three or more months for contracting, and six to eight months for implementation and training. Labs with complex operations, such as large anatomic pathology practices, may need to add 30 to 40 percent to these estimates.
What is the role of the CEO in the LIS selection process?
The CEO's role is to empower the selection committee with the authority, resources, and organizational backing needed to make decisions based on strategic objectives rather than internal politics. CEO-level support signals to the entire organization that modernizing the laboratory information system is a mission-critical priority, not a discretionary project, and ensures that the committee's recommendations are taken seriously and acted upon promptly.
What should labs look for when checking references from LIS vendors?
Labs should ask references about real-world implementation timelines and how closely they matched what the vendor promised; the quality and responsiveness of vendor support after go-live; how the system has handled increases in testing volume; whether the vendor has proactively delivered new features and platform improvements; and whether the total cost of ownership has remained aligned with original expectations.
How does LigoLab's platform address the non-negotiable features listed in the evaluation criteria?
LigoLab's all-in-one platform includes embedded sample tracking, a fully self-configurable interface without vendor intervention, powerful rule and automation engines, advanced dynamic reporting and dashboards, integrated LIS and lab billing modules, unlimited scalability through volume-based tiered pricing, a built-in interface engine for seamless connectivity, and a dedicated support model that includes 24/7 urgent assistance and unlimited training, addressing every non-negotiable criterion in a single unified platform.
