Laboratory Information System Software and Its Role in Overcoming Laboratory Staffing Challenges

Editor’s Note: Part two of our three-part series explores laboratory staffing challenges and how to overcome them.

Welcome to part two of our three-part series on laboratory staffing challenges, where we examine the underlying causes and highlight potential solutions for lab directors and managers.

For part one of the series, we interviewed Dr. James Crawford, Senior Vice President for Laboratory Services at Northwell Health and Professor and Chair of Pathology/Lab Medicine at the Donald & Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Crawford shared his perspective on recruitment, compensation, career advancement, and process improvements (part one is linked below).

Laboratory Staffing Challenges, Part 1: What Caused the Current Shortage of Medical Laboratory Technologists and What Steps Need to Be Taken to Solve the Problem

For part two, we turned to Bri Spencer, Molecular Lab Manager at Avero Diagnostics. She took us on a deep dive into how the growing lab organization, which specializes in anatomic pathology, clinical laboratory, and molecular diagnostics, is utilizing new pathology lab reporting software technology and a spirit of innovation to streamline its laboratory workflow management and remove time-consuming, redundant manual processes.

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Modern Medical Laboratory Information System Software: The Long-term Solution to Staffing Challenges

As every lab professional knows, medical laboratories play a critical role in healthcare. Nearly every time a patient enters a hospital or healthcare facility, their diagnosis is in the hands of a medical laboratory professional. Unfortunately, the industry is currently in a precarious situation, experiencing unprecedented labor shortages, especially for medical laboratory technologists.

The Scale of the Staffing Crisis

The American Society for Clinical Pathology released a report finding an average vacancy rate of nearly 9 percent across almost every lab specialty, with some departments reaching as high as 25 percent. The Bureau of Labor & Statistics supported these findings by estimating the industry needs to grow its laboratory technologists and technicians workforce by nearly 13 percent, almost double the projected increase for all other occupations. For an industry of roughly 335,500 medical professionals, that translates to a potential shortfall of 44,000 workers.

How LIS Software Fits Into the Solution

There is some good news. A modern laboratory information system (LIS software) is a vital tool that lab directors and managers can leverage for support. In part one of this series, we identified that an advanced LIS system should be part of any long-term pathology lab management solution to the staffing crisis, making medical laboratories more efficient and less reliant on manual steps.

Modern LIS systems, such as the all-in-one LigoLab Medical LIS & Lab Billing Informatics Platform, manage all aspects of diagnostic testing. They serve as the driver of laboratory data, supporting the patient and specimen lifecycle from the moment it first enters the LIS lab solution through tracking, processing, and reporting. These medical LIS systems also enable lab directors and managers to build rules and deploy automation that helps compensate for knowledge loss and employee turnover.

As Spencer shared below, that's exactly how Avero Diagnostics overcame some of its most pressing LIS staffing challenges.

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How Avero Leveraged Its Laboratory Information System Software to Simplify Molecular Lab Operations

Avero had already selected LigoLab as its informatics partner for both operational and financial laboratory management when the COVID-19 pandemic began. As an early adopter of LigoLab’s direct-to-consumer lab testing portal, TestDirectly, the full-service lab was well-positioned to streamline patient services during the crisis. When demand for molecular PCR testing surged, Avero rapidly scaled its capacity, processing over 20,000 specimens per day at the height of the pandemic.

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Removing Manual Chokepoints Under Pressure

"For our COVID-19 testing program to be successful, we had to be extremely accurate and our turnaround times had to be incredibly fast," said Spencer. "But we were up against staffing shortages and extreme demand. As such, manual order entry and follow-up chokepoints had to be removed and replaced to accommodate the demand."

According to Spencer, Avero would not have been able to scale quickly enough to meet the demand for molecular LIS testing without LigoLab's agile pathology lab reporting software solution. LigoLab’s LIS system module offered a wide range of configurations to accommodate new clinical lab workflow requirements. It also featured a proprietary interface engine that maximized connectivity, enabling the lab to add new analyzers and robotics to boost throughput.

Discover More: LigoLab Delivers the LIS System Interoperability Needed to Transform Medical Laboratories into Thriving Businesses

Digitizing the Patient Experience With TestDirectly

A major factor in Avero's success was its implementation of TestDirectly, LigoLab's web-based direct-to-consumer lab testing portal, which connected patients to a fully digital clinical lab workflow. By replacing paper forms with online self-registration and scheduling, the portal eliminated bottlenecks and automated result delivery (via consumer lab reports) through email and text notifications, enabling Avero to manage high daily volumes efficiently without compromising accuracy or turnaround times.

Get Insight: Highlighting the Versatility of the TestDirectly Direct-to-Consumer Lab Testing Portal

Innovation and the Adoption of New Laboratory Information System Technology to Meet Unprecedented Demand

By leveraging LigoLab’s lab information system module and direct-to-consumer lab testing portal, Avero processed thousands of molecular PCR tests each day, surpassing one million cases in the pandemic’s first year, while delivering an impressive 98% of results to patients and stakeholders within 24 hours of specimen receipt.

A Partnership Built on Flexibility and Innovation

It would not have been possible without a true spirit of innovation behind the Avero-LigoLab partnership, plus a flexible and supportive informatics platform to manage everything from patient self-registration and scheduling to report delivery and laboratory billing (lab revenue cycle management) for services rendered.

"During public health events like the COVID-19 pandemic, time is a critical factor," added Spencer. "Patients, healthcare workers, and public health officials all need to know in real time what's happening during an outbreak. That's nearly impossible to do with manual processes, and that's another reason why technology adoption is a must for today's labs."

Scaling to Serve Communities Across Multiple States

The decision to implement new technology at the height of the pandemic was a calculated risk, and it paid off. Throughout the pandemic, Avero served as a trusted testing partner for several drive-through collection sites across multiple states. The lab also partnered with public health departments and government agencies, including the Florida Department of Health and the Washington State Department of Corrections. It supported organizational testing for employers, school and university systems, the entertainment and production industry, and more. 

Final Thoughts About Advanced Laboratory Information System Software

Although the latest medical LIS system technology doesn't replace the critical work that highly trained lab professionals perform, it can ease some of the burden caused by today's staffing challenges. By empowering medical laboratory technologists to spend less time on redundant manual tasks, advanced LIS software frees them to apply their unique skills where they matter most, driving better patient outcomes.

For organizations planning to scale faster and earn a larger share of medical laboratory profit, operating more effectively means automating core processes to strengthen both operational and financial performance.

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About LigoLab

LigoLab is an award-winning provider of innovative end-to-end laboratory information system software, servicing hundreds of testing facilities nationwide. Its all-in-one Medical LIS & Lab Billing Informatics Platform is a comprehensive, enterprise-grade application with modules for anatomic pathology, clinical laboratory, molecular diagnostics, lab revenue cycle management, and direct-to-consumer lab testing, all on a unified and integrated lab database software infrastructure that supports every role, department, and case.

LigoLab empowers medical laboratories to differentiate, scale, and become more compliant and profitable.

Frequently Asked Questions About Laboratory Information System Software and LIS Staffing Challenges

How can LIS software help labs deal with staffing shortages?

Modern LIS software reduces reliance on manual processes by automating routine tasks such as order entry, specimen routing, result delivery, and laboratory billing validation. It enables existing staff to focus on higher-value clinical work rather than repetitive administrative steps, helping labs maintain throughput even with a reduced workforce.

How did Avero Diagnostics use LIS software to scale during COVID-19?

Avero leveraged LigoLab's LIS system and the TestDirectly direct-to-consumer lab testing portal to process over 20,000 specimens per day at the height of the pandemic. By replacing paper-based workflows with digital self-registration, automated result delivery, and configurable rules, Avero achieved a 98 percent same-day reporting rate while operating with a lean team under significant staffing pressure.

What is TestDirectly, and how does it help with lab staffing challenges?

TestDirectly is LigoLab's web-based direct-to-consumer lab testing portal. It connects patients directly to a digital clinical lab workflow, replacing manual paper forms with online scheduling and self-registration and automating result delivery via email and text. It reduces the manual workload on lab staff while maintaining accuracy and fast turnaround times.

Can LIS software help labs build resilience against future staffing disruptions?

Yes. By building rules and deploying automation within the LIS system, lab directors can institutionalize workflows that don't depend on any single employee's knowledge. It reduces the impact of turnover and speeds up onboarding for new staff by guiding users through standardized processes.

Is LIS software only beneficial for large labs?

No. While high-volume labs like Avero see significant gains, LIS software benefits labs of all sizes. Scalable platforms such as the LigoLab platform offer tiered pricing models, enabling smaller labs to adopt automation at a level that matches their current needs and scale up as they grow.

Does implementing new LIS software disrupt ongoing lab operations?

Implementing a modern LIS system requires careful planning, but medical LIS solutions minimize disruption. As Avero's experience demonstrates, even implementing new technology during a high-pressure public health crisis is achievable with the best LIS software and a supportive implementation team.