What Lab Leaders Should Do Immediately After Receiving Notice Their LIS System is Sunsetting

Few things cause more anxiety in a medical testing environment than learning that the vendor will soon discontinue the laboratory information system (LIS software) supporting its operations. For many organizations, these legacy LIS systems have been the backbone of pathology and clinical laboratory workflow management for years, capturing orders, tracking specimens, managing results, and supporting compliance.

The retirement of a long-trusted laboratory information system can create uncertainty and operational concern. At the same time, it presents an opportunity for laboratories to modernize processes, adopt new capabilities, and build a stronger foundation for future growth. As legacy LIS systems reach the end, proactive organizations are accelerating their digital transformation initiatives. Although transitions can initially be challenging, modern medical LIS platforms deliver automation, real-time insights, and scalable technology that help improve efficiency, financial performance, and patient care outcomes. 

In short: the time to act is now.

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Why Immediate Action Matters

Labs that delay addressing a sunsetting laboratory information system risk setbacks. Vendor support for the old LIS system may dwindle quickly, making it hard to resolve issues, maintain integrations, or stay compliant. Staff morale can also suffer when there is no clear plan.

A Realistic Transition Timeline

To avoid operational disruption, lab leadership should begin planning their LIS software transition immediately. Consider this high-level timeline for replacing a legacy LIS system:

• 6 Months: To research and evaluate new laboratory information system companies through demos, references, and testimonials.
• 3+ Months: To narrow the field, negotiate terms, and finalize agreements.
• 6 to 8 Months: To implement the new LIS lab platform and train the staff. 

Larger, more complex laboratories, particularly high-volume anatomic pathology practices, may need to extend these estimates by 30–40%. Even with a well-executed transition plan, implementation can take 15 to 18 months or longer, making it risky to wait until vendor support ends and leaving limited time for informed decision-making. 

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Step 1: Establish a Transition Task Force

The first action leadership should take is to designate a transition task force to evaluate options, set timelines, and keep all stakeholders informed.

Who Should Be on the Task Force

• Lab directors and managers for operational oversight.
• IT staff for infrastructure, integrations, and cybersecurity.
• Pathologists and clinicians to represent end-user workflows.
• Lab billing managers to ensure revenue cycle management alignment.
• Compliance officers to safeguard regulatory adherence.

By acting as the communication hub for transition, the task force ensures clarity and helps minimize organizational uncertainty.

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Step 2: Map Your Current and Future State

Before engaging LIS vendors, testing organizations must develop a clear understanding of their current operations and future goals.

What This Mapping Should Include

• The documentation of current workflows, such as order entry, accessioning, reporting, laboratory billing, and QA processes.
• The listing of all integrations with EHRs, laboratory billing systems, middleware, and instruments. 
• The identification of pain points where delays, errors, or inefficiencies occur.
• The vision of the ideal future state, including automation goals, scalability needs, and user experience improvements.

This exercise clarifies what the team must preserve and what it can improve in a new lab information system, helping labs avoid recreating outdated workflows.

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Step 3: Set Realistic Timelines

Transitioning to a new LIS lab solution is one of the most complex projects a lab can undertake. Proper timing is critical.

• Start immediately. Waiting until support ends forces rushed decisions.
• Plan buffer time. Expect delays in contracting, data migration, and training.
• Sequence carefully. Consider phasing implementations by department if risk tolerance requires it.

Timelines should also account for regulatory deadlines, payer contracts, and accreditation cycles, ensuring the lab doesn't face critical inspections mid-implementation.

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Step 4: Engage with Modern LIS Software Vendors

The phasing out of a legacy LIS system opens the door to evaluating the capabilities of modern laboratory information system vendors. When researching, labs should focus on three critical evaluation areas.

Innovative Features

Does the LIS system integrate seamlessly with the latest digital pathology solutions and molecular lab testing software workflows? Does it offer AI-driven analytics, advanced automation, real-time dashboards, critical value alerts, and remote accessibility?

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Customization and Flexibility

Every laboratory operates with unique workflows and processes. A new LIS system should adapt to those requirements without requiring expensive custom development, while also providing the scalability and flexibility needed to support growth and multi-department operations. 

Support and Partnership

A modern medical LIS is more than a diagnostic lab software purchase; it is a long-term partnership. Evaluate the responsiveness of support teams, commitment to ongoing training and optimization, and references from other labs that have transitioned successfully.

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Step 5: Prioritize Data Migration Early

Data migration is often underestimated, despite being one of the most important components of a successful LIS system transition. Laboratories must ensure that historical results, patient information, and physician data are accurately and seamlessly transferred to the new platform to maintain continuity and operational integrity. 

Data Migration Best Practices

Three-Phase Migration: One import before implementation, one at go-live, and one post-launch to capture straggler data.

Data Cleanup: Remove duplicates, outdated templates, and corrupt records before migration begins.

Testing and Validation: Verify migrated records for accuracy and completeness before going live.

By starting early, labs avoid the burden of running two laboratory information systems in parallel for extended periods.

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Step 6: Build a Communication and Training Plan

A transition will only be successful if LIS staffing is prepared and confident.

How to Approach Training and Communication

• Communicate early and often. Share the rationale for the change and the roadmap ahead.
• Provide role-based training. Tailor sessions for pathologists, techs, accessioners, lab billing staff, and administrators.
• Use a mix of methods. Combine live training, recorded sessions, and hands-on labs.
• Offer ongoing support. Offer ongoing training sessions, dedicated support hours, and easy-to-access quick-reference materials. 

Change fatigue is real, but by engaging LIS lab personnel in the process and equipping them with the right tools, leaders can transform resistance into enthusiasm.

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Step 7: Safeguard Compliance and Security

The best laboratory information system software should provide stronger safeguards than legacy LIS medical solutions, but labs must verify the following before go-live:

• HIPAA compliance for all data flows.
• End-to-end encryption of data in transit and at rest.
• Role-based access controls to limit risk.
• Audit logs for full traceability.
• Cloud hosting that complies with healthcare standards (such as SOC 2 and HITRUST).

Security and compliance are non-negotiable.

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Step 8: Test, Validate, and Optimize

Before going live, labs must conduct thorough testing across all layers of the new lab information system.

Testing Checklist

• Unit testing of individual modules and workflows.
• Integration testing with EHRs, instruments, and laboratory billing systems.
• User acceptance testing (UAT) with real-world scenarios.
• Load testing to simulate high-volume processing days.

Go-live should be treated as the beginning, not the end. Continuous optimization ensures that the lab information system evolves with the lab over time.

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Step 9: Manage the Emotional Side of Change

A sunset of diagnostic lab software is not just a technical change; it is an emotional one. Pathologists and LIS staffing members who have spent decades with a legacy system may experience the transition as a loss.

Framing the Transition as an Opportunity

Leadership should acknowledge this reality while helping personnel see what the change makes possible. 

• Fewer clicks and time savings through modern workflows.
• Voice dictation, automation, and more intuitive interfaces.
• Better tools that make daily work easier and more rewarding.

By focusing on user benefits, labs can turn apprehension into momentum.

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Step 10: Learn from Industry Peers

Many labs are facing the same challenge. By connecting with peers through professional networks, associations, and conferences, lab leaders can gather best practices, avoid common pitfalls, and validate vendor claims with real-world experience. Peer-to-peer insights are often more valuable than vendor marketing materials.

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Viewing the Sunset as a Sunrise

Although the announcement of a retiring laboratory information system software may seem disruptive, it can also mark the beginning of a new chapter. For labs that plan proactively, it’s an opportunity to modernize, embrace automation, and enhance both operations and patient care.

Modern clinical and pathology lab software can unlock capabilities that legacy LIS systems could never deliver: AI-driven intelligence, cloud-based scalability, seamless integrations, and a user experience designed for today's laboratory environment. Labs that act decisively, plan carefully, and bring their staff along for the journey will emerge not only with a replacement LIS model but with a future-ready informatics platform that empowers them for years to come.

Final Thoughts for Lab Leaders

If your lab has received notification that your LIS lab solution's vendor is discontinuing it:

• Act immediately; don't wait for support to lapse.
• Form a transition task force with cross-department representation.
• Map your workflows and pain points to guide vendor evaluations.
• Plan for a 12- to 18-month process from research to go-live.
• Prioritize data migration and staff training to ensure continuity.
• View this as an opportunity, not a disruption.

With the right approach, the sunsetting of your LIS system doesn't have to be a crisis. It can be the catalyst that propels your lab into a new era of efficiency, profitability, and diagnostic excellence.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Sunsetting LIS Systems and Lab Transitions

What does it mean when a laboratory information system is sunsetting?

A sunsetting LIS system is one that the vendor has announced it will discontinue, meaning support, updates, regulatory compliance patches, and integrations will eventually cease. Labs still operating on a sunsetting system face growing operational risk, compliance exposure, and the inability to access new features or resolve emerging issues.

How much time do labs typically need to transition to a new LIS system?

A well-managed LIS system transition typically takes 15 to 18 months from initial research through go-live. It includes approximately six months for vendor evaluation, three or more months for contracting, and six to eight months for implementation and training. Large or complex anatomic pathology labs may need to add 30 to 40 percent more time to these estimates.

What should be the first step after receiving notice that an LIS system is sunsetting?

The first step is to form a cross-functional transition task force that includes lab directors, IT staff, pathologists, lab billing managers, and compliance officers. This team will serve as the communication hub for the transition, setting timelines, evaluating vendors, and keeping all stakeholders aligned throughout the process.

Why is data migration one of the most critical parts of an LIS system transition?

Data migration ensures that historical results, patient records, and physician data transfer accurately to the new platform. Poor migration planning can force labs to maintain access to both the old and new LIS systems simultaneously for extended periods, creating confusion, compliance risks, and operational inefficiencies. A three-phase migration approach (before implementation, at go-live, and post-launch) is considered best practice.

What should labs evaluate when selecting a new LIS software vendor?

Labs should evaluate three key areas: innovative features such as AI-driven analytics, digital pathology integration, and automation capabilities; customization and flexibility to fit unique workflows and scale with growth; and the quality of support and partnership, including responsiveness, training commitment, and references from other labs that have successfully transitioned.

How can lab leadership manage staff resistance to a new LIS system?

Recognizing the challenges associated with change is important, especially for staff members who have relied on a legacy LIS system for many years. Positioning the transition around practical user benefits, such as fewer clicks, voice-enabled dictation, enhanced functionality, and more efficient workflows, can help shift perceptions from disruption to opportunity. Role-specific training, consistent communication, and ongoing support also play a critical role in strengthening staff confidence and encouraging adoption. 

What compliance and security factors should labs verify in a new LIS system?

Labs should confirm that the new platform is HIPAA compliant for all data flows, uses end-to-end encryption for data in transit and at rest, supports role-based access controls, maintains comprehensive audit logs, and complies with cloud hosting standards such as SOC 2 and HITRUST. These safeguards should be verified before go-live, not after.

What is the risk of waiting too long to act on a sunsetting LIS system?

Delaying action until vendor support expires can leave laboratories with limited options, insufficient time to evaluate alternatives, and reduced support for critical issues, regulatory updates, or integration challenges. Decisions made under pressure increase the likelihood of selecting an unsuitable platform, encountering implementation setbacks, and experiencing costly disruptions to daily operations and patient care.