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Molecular Labs Hold the Key to Evidence-Based Precision Medicine
February 20, 2026
Editor’s Note: A version of this article was originally published in MedCity News on August 12, 2021.
Molecular Testing Labs Step Into the Spotlight as Precision Medicine Accelerates
Like many parts of the healthcare industry, molecular testing laboratories are evolving incredibly fast. Almost daily, there are advances in everything from instrumentation to service delivery. No longer the mysterious hidden function tucked away in a remote part of the hospital, molecular testing labs are becoming a much more prominent part of the overall healthcare package.
One reason for this new prominence is an increased emphasis on data-driven personalized care.
Precision Medicine Depends on Molecular Insight, and the Data to Prove It
“Molecular testing labs play an important role within evidence-based precision medicine,” stated Avero Diagnostics Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Bull. “A big reason why there is increased demand for molecular testing labs is that biochemical and molecular genetics are moving medical care forward. Molecular labs are quite literally responsible for providing much of the evidence for evidence-based precision care.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 70 percent of today’s medical decisions depend on laboratory test results. This further highlights the important role that clinical laboratories play in today’s healthcare environment.
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EBLM and Molecular Lab Software Technologies
This dynamic has even given rise to a new practice, known as evidence-based laboratory medicine (EBLM). This is a unique branch of medicine that focuses on the evaluation and use of laboratory tests to improve patient outcomes.
This means enterprises using molecular lab testing software (laboratory information systems that support molecular lab testing workflows) are becoming the key collectors and interpreters of data provided by biological specimens, helping clinicians better understand clinical pathways and treatment options, including options for drug selection, specialized therapeutics, and other treatments.
As EBLM continues to evolve, diagnostic tests, particularly in molecular medicine, have become so complex that physicians and their staff often struggle to interpret them. As a result, laboratories are increasingly relied upon to help healthcare providers understand the clinical significance of these test results.
Get Insight: A Scalable Solution for Molecular LIS Testing Labs
From Back-Office Function to Frontline Partner: Why Modern Molecular LIS Technology Matters
“One of the biggest changes we have experienced recently is in the role that labs now play regarding the diagnosis and treatment of disease,” added Bull. “Traditionally, medical labs were only tasked with processing specimens and issuing reports. But because they have become so adept at understanding the treasure trove of medical data collected, labs are becoming a bigger part of the treatment team.”
However, not all molecular lab software can be elevated to this role, as some lab directors and managers continue to operate outdated, legacy laboratory information system (LIS) software, adding strain to heavy workloads.
Recognizing the importance of advancing laboratory medicine, a growing number of industry leaders are now embracing future-ready molecular LIS system technology to drive innovation and support evolving diagnostic needs.
Discover More: How Test Orders are Accessioned in the Lab with LigoLab's Molecular LIS System
The Digital Transformation of Molecular Lab Software
The CDC reports that approximately 14 billion laboratory tests are ordered each year, a volume that places constant pressure on laboratory capacity and resources. Without the right diagnostic lab software and streamlined operating procedures, laboratories risk compromising safety, quality, and cost control, ultimately affecting the accuracy and timeliness of disease diagnosis and treatment.
Modern Molecular Labs Need LIS System Platforms Built for Scale, Flexibility, and Revenue Impact
“Modern molecular labs require laboratory information systems that go beyond basic order capture and result delivery,” said LigoLab CEO Suren Avunjian. “Labs need molecular LIS systems that ensure flexibility within and beyond a lab’s network, features specimen lifecycle sample tracking and support, promotes scalability and efficiency, and enhances a lab’s value as a revenue center and care partner.”
LigoLab is a leading provider of molecular lab software, offering advanced LIS system solutions tailored for molecular testing.
“Traditional LIS systems no longer cut it in today’s clinical testing lab environment,” added Avunjian. “Molecular labs need molecular LIS systems that can connect across all corners of the diagnostic landscape, including instrumentation, lab management analytics, robust decision support, effective quality controls, third-party interoperability with electronic health records (EHRs), decision population health tools, and other laboratory software systems.”
Avero Diagnostics (formerly Northwest Laboratory and Northwest Pathology) has provided a wide range of laboratory services for nearly 30 years. The fast-growing, full-service, multi-state lab operation has partnered with LigoLab for its lab information system and in-house laboratory billing software for more than a decade.
Get Insight: Maximizing Your Lab’s Profitability - The Case for In-House Lab Billing
What the Future Holds for Molecular LIS Labs
Despite the challenges that molecular lab directors and managers face, the future of evidence-based precision medicine remains bright for patients and the healthcare industry. Patients who suffer from complex or rare illnesses face better prospects than in the past, and molecular labs are a big reason why.
As the future unfolds, technological developments and the best laboratory information system software will help these organizations meet many of the challenges ahead, especially as molecular analysis tools continue to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
Take DNA analysis as one example. Today, clinicians can diagnose conditions that previously went unidentified, assess a patient’s genetic risk for specific diseases, personalize treatment plans, and closely track how effectively a patient is responding to therapy.
Given their critical role in evidence-based precision medicine, molecular laboratories are poised for continued growth and innovation. However, labs that delay investment in modern molecular lab software and LIS system technology risk falling behind. That would be a missed opportunity, not only for patient care but also for driving cost efficiency across the entire healthcare system.
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LigoLab’s Molecular Lab Testing Software
As a comprehensive enterprise-grade laboratory information system software solution, the LigoLab Informatics Platform includes modules for anatomic pathology, clinical laboratory, molecular diagnostics, laboratory billing, and direct-to-consumer lab testing (TestDirectly), all on a single, unified LIS system infrastructure that’s infinitely configurable and that supports every department, role, and case.
LigoLab’s LIS medical software includes end-to-end specimen barcoding and sample tracking, a comprehensive and searchable audit trail, compliance checkpoints at every step, an integrated interface engine, flexible rules and automation tools, and fully customizable reporting with multiple distribution options. With these capabilities in place, clinical laboratories can operate more efficiently, differentiate their services, and strengthen profitability as they grow.
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Integrated Laboratory Billing That Reduces Denials and Maximizes Net Collections
LigoLab’s advanced, embedded laboratory billing solutions are woven directly into the LIS software platform, allowing lab revenue cycle management to begin at the moment an order is entered. By addressing eligibility, coding, and payer requirements upfront, laboratories can reduce late-stage denials by up to 98 percent and significantly improve net collections.
In addition, LigoLab strengthens the lab RCM cycle with real-time insurance verification, automated eligibility checks, claim scrubbing, and built-in ICD and CPT coding. Every lab billing function operates inside LigoLab’s live, queue-based workflow, giving laboratories full visibility and creating seamless, end-to-end efficiency across both LIS and lab RCM operations.
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