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Is Your Laboratory Information System and LIS Lab Vendor Holding Your Laboratory Hostage?
July 17, 2026
In a world where customer experience drives success, it’s surprising that some companies still fail to prioritize their customers' needs. Unfortunately, this remains all too common, especially for pathology practices and clinical laboratories seeking a laboratory information system (LIS software) and a vendor capable of supporting growth and improving profitability.
"Many labs tell us they want to move to a new laboratory information system but feel trapped by the costs," said LigoLab CEO Suren Avunjian. "Their current LIS company has them locked in, either because they haven't recouped their initial investment, or because other LIS systems are simply too expensive. As a result, labs end up stuck, trying to make the best of an unsustainable situation."
The good news is that a better, more affordable option exists. Labs no longer have to settle for outdated laboratory information systems that lack functionality, reliability, scalability, or responsive support. A modern, cost-effective alternative can help them grow and thrive.
Discover More: Navigating the Future of Pathology - The LigoLab Advantage
Advanced Laboratory Information Systems and Comprehensive Laboratory Workflow Management
LigoLab, long known for its advanced laboratory information system platform and comprehensive laboratory workflow management solutions, takes the customer experience to the next level by offering a future-ready LIS system that removes barriers to growth and drives market differentiation. The platform's tiered pricing model (linked below) is designed to deliver maximum value for laboratories of all sizes and testing complexity.
Discover More: LigoLab’s Pricing for its LIS Software Platform Delivers a Tailored Fit and Maximum Value
LigoLab's Aligned Laboratory Information System Pricing
No Upfront Licensing Fees, Pricing That Scales With Success
Unlike traditional LIS software vendors, LigoLab removes the need for large upfront licensing fees. Instead, the cost of the platform is tied to monthly testing volume. As volume increases, the cost per test decreases. This provides labs access to volume-based discounts as they scale operations.
At the same time, optimized pathology and clinical laboratory management, including fully integrated laboratory billing and lab revenue cycle management (lab RCM) workflow, boosts efficiency and profitability without adding labor costs. This LIS model enables laboratories to expand services, handle higher volumes, and achieve sustainable long-term growth.
"LigoLab operates on an aligned revenue LIS model," said Avunjian. "Our pricing scales with the laboratory's success, so we're incentivized to help customers grow. We never charge per seat or per module, and we don't nickel-and-dime labs for additional functionality."
"We're fully invested in our partners. Our infinitely configurable LIS software platform is built to solve today's challenges while giving labs the flexibility to quickly add users, interfaces, and services as their business evolves," he continued.
Discover More: How to Turn Your Mid-Sized Medical Laboratory into a Thriving Large-Scale Operation
Switching Laboratory Information Systems With Minimal Risk
LigoLab's flexible pricing tiers are designed for labs ready to move away from their legacy medical LIS systems without risking their budgets. Transparent, scalable pricing replaces costly licenses and fixed maintenance fees, enabling laboratories to grow without hidden costs.
"Our business model is built on true partnership," explained Avunjian. "We become an extension of every customer's lab team."
Upfront costs are minimal, limited to a modest, partially subsidized fee for implementation and training. Depending on the project's complexity, there may be one-time expenses for data migration or integrations with electronic health records and other laboratory software systems. These are consultative services and never part of ongoing licensing or support fees.
Discover More: A Closer Look at LigoLab’s LIS Lab Software Support & Training
More Than LIS Software Vendors: An LIS Company Seeking True Partnerships
The Origin of a Different Kind of LIS Company
LigoLab's foundation is built on the principle of true partnership, a value that defines everything the LIS company stands for. Avunjian and co-founder Edward Kharatian founded LigoLab in 2006 after helping build Healthline Clinical Laboratories into Southern California's largest privately held testing facility (before its acquisition by LabCorp). That milestone inspired them to start fresh and build the most advanced and capable laboratory information system software platform possible.
"When I was CIO at Healthline, I sat through countless presentations and evaluated many laboratory information systems and laboratory billing systems," said Kharatian, now LigoLab's Medical Director. "That's when it became clear that the industry lacked a truly unified and integrated clinical and pathology lab software platform. No one on the market took that approach."
The name Ligo comes from the Latin word meaning "to unite" or "to connect", perfectly reflecting the co-founders' vision of connecting with laboratories on every level: philosophically, technologically, and financially.
Industry Insights: Bridging the Gap in Modern Laboratories - Why a Comprehensive Digital Platform Outperforms a Basic Lab Information System
The Best Laboratory Information System Software Supports All Laboratory Workflow Management - Including Laboratory Billing
Eliminating the Fear of Switching LIS Systems
Bringing together and integrating every aspect of laboratory operations is only part of what LigoLab delivers. The other part is partnering with laboratories at the business level to help them grow quickly and stand out in a competitive market.
Beyond restrictive pricing, many labs remain tied to their legacy laboratory information system vendors out of fear: fear of disruption, data loss, or operational downtime. This hesitation often keeps labs stuck with outdated, inefficient medical LIS systems that limit performance and profitability.
LigoLab helps eliminate that fear by providing a comprehensive, ready-to-use laboratory information system software platform equipped with all the core features and functions a lab needs. When custom development is required, LigoLab delivers it fast, often within hours rather than days or weeks.
"Hundreds of laboratory facilities are already running on LigoLab," said Avunjian. "That means 99 percent of what new customers request is already built into our all-in-one LIS system and laboratory billing platform. The platform is incredibly intuitive, guiding every department and workflow in real time."
Discover More: What You Need to Know Before Contracting with a Laboratory Information System (LIS) Company
A Unified Platform That Covers Every Discipline and Workflow
The architecture of the LigoLab platform enables laboratories to scale their operations far faster than with traditional or homegrown LIS systems. The platform unites all key disciplines and workflows within a single integrated lab database software, featuring dedicated modules for anatomic pathology, clinical laboratory operations, molecular diagnostics, lab revenue cycle management, and direct-to-consumer lab testing through TestDirectly.
It also includes comprehensive supporting modules and engines covering sample tracking, laboratory outreach, digital pathology, business intelligence, customer service management, workflow design, reporting, interfaces, automation, rules management, and voice dictation, all working together seamlessly within a cohesive LIS medical solution.
Discover More: Streamline Laboratory Workflow Management With Customized Lab Reports & Unmatched Client Support
Transitioning from an outdated lab information system and vendor is a major decision for any organization. LigoLab makes that choice easier by offering a modern, fully integrated laboratory informatics platform designed to minimize disruption, streamline implementation, and align pricing directly with each laboratory's goals.
Discover More: The Best LIS Software Maximizes Growth With Cutting-Edge Pathology Lab Management Solutions
Comprehensive and Flexible Laboratory Information System Software - That's Our Business Model
As a comprehensive, enterprise-grade laboratory information system provider, LigoLab offers an all-in-one informatics platform that brings together all modules and supporting engines within a single, highly configurable lab organization software infrastructure, supporting every department, role, and case across all lab customers.
Integrated Laboratory Billing That Starts at Order Creation
LigoLab's integrated laboratory revenue cycle management module is fully unified with the platform's LIS lab module, enabling organizations to initiate the laboratory billing process at order creation. This eliminates data silos, synchronization issues, and duplicate entries. The resulting single-source-of-truth approach reduces denials, lowers audit risk, and boosts net collections.
Beyond that, LigoLab's advanced laboratory billing workflow enhances the entire RCM cycle through real-time demographic reviews, insurance verification, eligibility checks, data scrubbing, automated ICD and CPT coding, and client billing. All lab billing activities run within the same live queue-driven workflow as the LIS system, ensuring complete transparency and end-to-end operational efficiency.
Set Your Lab Up for Long-Term Success
At LigoLab, we understand that choosing the best laboratory information system software for your organization is a mission-critical decision with no margin for error. That’s why our team of experienced product specialists is here to guide your organization through every step of the selection and implementation process.
Act Now: Speak with a LigoLab Product Specialist!
Frequently Asked Questions About Breaking Free From a Legacy Lab Information System and Vendor Lock-In
What does it mean for a lab to be "held hostage" by its LIS system vendor?
Vendor lock-in occurs when a laboratory feels unable to switch laboratory information systems despite dissatisfaction, typically because the upfront capital investment in the current system has not been recouped, because switching costs appear prohibitive, or because the vendor has structured licensing and support fees to make departure financially painful. The result is that labs remain on outdated, underperforming LIS systems that limit growth and efficiency, rather than investing in a modern platform that would deliver far greater long-term value.
How does LigoLab's pricing model prevent vendor lock-in that’s common with legacy LIS systems?
LigoLab replaces the large upfront licensing fee model with volume-based transactional pricing, in which costs scale with the number of cases processed rather than remaining fixed regardless of lab performance. There are no per-seat charges, no per-module fees, no hidden customization costs, and no fixed maintenance fees. As lab volume grows, the cost per test decreases, creating an aligned LIS model where LigoLab's financial interests are directly tied to the lab's growth and success.
What upfront costs should labs expect when transitioning to LigoLab?
Labs transitioning to LigoLab can expect a modest, partially subsidized implementation and training fee, significantly lower than the six-figure capital investments commonly required by legacy LIS vendors. Depending on project complexity, there may be one-time expenses for data migration or EHR and instrument integrations. These are consultative services and are never bundled into ongoing licensing or support fees, giving labs full cost transparency from day one.
Why do many labs hesitate to switch LIS systems, even when they are unhappy with their current vendor?
The most common fears are disruption to daily operations, risk of data loss during migration, potential downtime around go-live, and the complexity of retraining staff. LigoLab addresses each of these directly, through a proven implementation methodology that includes parallel validation testing, a comprehensive onboarding process managed entirely by LigoLab's team, and a track record of zero rollbacks across all go-lives. The fear of transition, while understandable, is often far greater than the actual risk when managed by an experienced implementation partner.
What makes LigoLab's platform different from legacy LIS systems in terms of functionality?
LigoLab's platform unifies anatomic pathology, clinical laboratory, molecular diagnostics, lab revenue cycle management, and direct-to-consumer lab testing, along with specimen tracking, outreach, digital pathology, business intelligence, customer service management, workflow design, reporting, interface engines, automation, and rules management, all within a single shared database. Legacy LIS systems typically fragment these functions across separate systems or modules, creating data silos, synchronization issues, and the manual workarounds that reduce efficiency and profitability.
How quickly can LigoLab deliver custom development or configuration changes?
Because hundreds of labs are already running on LigoLab's platform, approximately 99 percent of what new customers request is already built into the system. When custom development is required, such as specialized reporting templates or unique workflow configurations, LigoLab's engineering team typically delivers within hours rather than the days, weeks, or months that legacy LIS vendors commonly require. This speed is a direct result of LigoLab's single standardized platform architecture, where all enhancements benefit every customer simultaneously.
How does LigoLab's integrated lab billing module improve financial performance compared to standalone laboratory billing systems?
LigoLab's lab billing module is natively integrated within the same database and infrastructure as the LIS, enabling the billing process to begin at order creation rather than after case finalization. Real-time demographic reviews, insurance eligibility checks, automated ICD and CPT coding, and claim scrubbing all occur in parallel with pathology and clinical lab workflow, dramatically increasing first-pass claim acceptance rates and reducing denials, write-offs, and revenue leakage that result from synchronization delays between separate LIS and billing systems.
