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LigoLab’s Direct-to-Consumer Lab Testing Portal: An Innovative Solution for an Industry-Wide Problem
July 18, 2025
As the pandemic began, all molecular LIS laboratories faced the same problem.
How can we provide patients with safe and fast COVID-19 test results?
This disruption within the clinical laboratory management circles led to several innovative solutions. One of them is the TestDirectly Direct-to-Consumer Lab Testing Web Portal: a cloud-based patient engagement tool that replaces paper forms and manual processes with a digital laboratory workflow. This workflow supports direct-to-consumer labs, from specimen collection to report delivery, and everything in between.
TestDirectly (and TestDirectly.com) removed the frustrating bottlenecks that labs faced in the pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical stages of direct-to-consumer lab testing. With the portal, these direct-to-consumer labs could quickly adapt to and support new COVID-19 collection workflows and move specimens through lab processing much more efficiently. The portal boosted capacity and, at the same time, improved turnaround times (TestDirectly results time), two key factors that helped slow the spread of infections.
Case Study: How Our Lab Partner Embraced Laboratory Information System Innovation and Won a Statewide Testing Contract
Why TestDirectly Remains Essential for Labs Offering Direct-to-Consumer Lab Testing
Having moved past the pandemic, the TestDirectly direct-to-consumer lab testing portal remains a must-have for medical laboratories and first-care facilities that want to directly connect with patients and provide convenient, safe, fast, and accurate testing for STI and UTI infections, as well as any other diagnostic testing and preventative screening.
Along the way, several features have been added to this intuitive and unified direct-to-consumer lab testing solution. Core services include patient and family self-registration and scheduling, capacity management, specimen collection, specimen tracking and processing, laboratory billing/lab revenue cycle management functionality, compliance, consumer lab reports generation, patient results notification (by email and text), automated report delivery, and at-home specimen collection.
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TestDirectly Core Services and Features
TestDirectly is more than just a direct-to-consumer lab testing portal—it’s a robust, end-to-end solution designed to simplify and streamline every phase of the testing journey for both patients and providers.
From easy self-registration and scheduling to efficient specimen tracking, integrated lab billing, real-time analytics, and automated result delivery, TestDirectly equips laboratories with the tools to manage high-volume diagnostic testing and preventative screening.
With a comprehensive suite of configurable services and features that support pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical workflows, the TestDirectly platform meets the evolving demands of modern healthcare while enhancing patient access, experience, and engagement.
Pre-analytical/Registration
The pre-analytical and registration phase of the TestDirectly platform offers a comprehensive and user-friendly experience designed to streamline the direct-to-consumer lab testing process.
Patients can easily search for test sites or home test kits based on the type of test, location, and preferred payment method. The platform supports secure email and SMS verification, self-registration, and self-scheduling, with the ability to select from multiple test options.
Payment is flexible, with support for credit card processing at checkout or upon specimen collection, and client lab billing options are available for third-party clients. Patients can upload insurance details, including insurance cards and IDs, and are prompted to acknowledge terms and conditions before completing their order.
TestDirectly also supports customizable ask-on-order entry (AOE) questions, with English and Spanish translations, and allows for tailored requisition and report templates.
Once an order is placed, patients receive email and SMS confirmations with appointment details, special instructions, and a barcode to identify the patient and order. Additional family members can be added to a single account, and orders can be quickly replicated for family testing.
The platform also features order cancellation functionality, appointment reminder notifications, and seamless integration with third-party laboratory software systems, including laboratory billing solutions, ensuring a smooth and efficient pre-analytical workflow.
Pre-analytical/Collection
During the pre-analytical collection phase, TestDirectly enhances efficiency and convenience through a range of smart features designed for both patients and lab staff.
Upon confirmation of their appointment, patients receive a QR code via email that enables paper-free, contactless check-in when scanned at the testing site. For walk-up patients or those without an email or access to a phone, on-demand order entry is supported. Lab staff can view a daily schedule of all confirmed appointments, with patient addresses displayed as clickable links—this is particularly useful for concierge or at-home testing workflows.
Specimen labeling is streamlined through options to pre-print labels for the day’s scheduled patients or dynamically generate labels at check-in. The platform also supports pre-printed barcodes on specimen tubes and enables the reprinting of Zebra labels directly from the Processing Queue in cases where labels were damaged. Additionally, labels can include an access code for patients to retrieve results without needing to create a TestDirectly account.
Once released from the Processing Queue, electronic orders are transmitted to the lab. Staff can also view, print, and edit requisition or intake forms as needed. Other capabilities include last-released tracking validation, real-time insurance eligibility checks, and powerful dashboards with dynamic KPIs for capacity management. A robust order search function further ensures quick and easy retrieval of order details.
Pre-analytical/Organizational
The pre-analytical organizational features of TestDirectly are designed to support high-volume testing programs and streamline administrative workflows.
Organizations can upload patient demographics in bulk via CSV files, linking them directly to their accounts for efficient information systems and data management operations. Orders can be generated in batches based on patient type, location, or other predefined criteria, while single “New Order” creation is available to accommodate one-off or sporadic testing needs.
TestDirectly also supports “Direct Patient Access,” allowing individuals to self-register for testing on demand, and “Campaign Events,” where patients receive email invitations to participate in specific, time-limited testing initiatives.
To ensure privacy and data security, the platform includes customizable permissions that restrict access to patient/consumer lab reports, such as limiting viewing rights to designated organizational administrators.
Analytical
TestDirectly’s analytical capabilities offer the flexibility and interoperability needed to support laboratories of all sizes.
The platform features a built-in lightweight laboratory information system (LIS) and can also integrate smoothly with external LIS systems, making it adaptable to a wide range of lab environments. It enables manual result entry with positive, negative, or inconclusive (P/N/I) values and supports the efficient exchange of data through CSV file downloads for patient orders and uploads for test results.
TestDirectly also offers robust support for specimen barcoding and tracking, promoting accuracy and transparency throughout the testing process. For sensitive cases, non-negative results can be delayed and routed to a dedicated Call Queue, allowing labs to handle follow-ups with care and confidentiality.
Post-analytic/Reporting
The post-analytic and reporting features of TestDirectly are designed to ensure timely communication and easy access to test results.
Patients receive email and SMS notifications as soon as their results are released, promoting fast and seamless communication. For those needing documentation for travel purposes, the platform allows relevant paperwork to be attached upon request.
TestDirectly also delivers real-time results and analytics, not only to patients but also to public health agencies, employers, and other authorized entities. All requisition and result reports are easily downloadable and printable through the portal, enhancing convenience and accessibility.
Administration/Configuration
TestDirectly’s highly configurable administrative and setup environment enables users to tailor the platform to meet specific organizational and project needs.
Test sites can be easily created and customized based on location, capacity, and service requirements, with built-in tools for managing caseloads across multiple facilities. GEO search parameters help patients locate nearby testing locations, while time zones can be defined on a project-by-project basis for scheduling accuracy. Users can create and manage specific tests or panels, as well as launch dedicated “Campaigns” that include physician details, AOE questions, test options, payment methods, and other project constraints.
System administrators can define user roles and set access permissions based on security clearance.
Branding and communication customization is also supported, with options to add company logos, display patient-facing instructions, and design personalized labeling formats (such as Zebra or Avery labels).
Email and SMS templates are fully customizable, and requisition and report templates can be tailored to meet specific operational needs.
Terms and conditions can be added for patient acknowledgment at checkout, and rules or logic can be configured, for example, to restrict testing to asymptomatic individuals. Additionally, the platform includes an automation engine to streamline and optimize workflows.
Benefits
TestDirectly delivers a wide range of benefits that enhance laboratory operations and patient care.
By boosting testing capacity and improving turnaround times, the platform creates end-to-end efficiencies across both laboratories and collection sites. It expands access to testing and opens new revenue streams, while also automating patient support functions to ease the burden on customer service teams. TestDirectly ensures flexibility and scalability for diverse use cases by supporting all types of direct-to-consumer lab testing and sample collection methods.
The platform also helps prevent lost revenue by collecting patient demographics and insurance information upfront, drastically reducing data entry errors and lost results.
Paper requisitions and manual processes are eliminated, replaced by streamlined digital workflows that include robust specimen barcoding and tracking capabilities.
By facilitating contactless interactions, TestDirectly minimizes the risk of exposure for staff, patients, and providers. Ultimately, it saves valuable time and resources while delivering real-time results and analytics to all stakeholders involved.
On-Demand Webinar: Learn How to Expand Your Lab’s Services and Add Revenue with Direct-to-Consumer Lab Testing
Pathology Lab Software Innovation that Removes Growth Barriers
LigoLab is a leading provider of innovative end-to-end pathology lab software for medical laboratories, proudly serving its growing customer base for two decades.
As a comprehensive enterprise-grade laboratory information system and laboratory billing solution, the LigoLab Medical LIS & Lab RCM Informatics Platform™ includes modules for anatomic pathology (anatomic pathology LIS), clinical laboratory (medical LIS), molecular diagnostics (molecular LIS), lab revenue cycle management (lab RCM), and direct-to-consumer lab testing, all on one united and integrated platform that supports every role, department, and case.
To learn more about LigoLab’s innovative LIS system and laboratory billing solutions, click here to schedule a visit with a product specialist.
