When looking for a Laboratory Information System (LIS) that will allow your lab to better manage patient data and enhance its offerings, it’s important to keep in mind that every lab is unique and will need a LIS that matches the functionality of your lab.
That’s why the product is often secondary to the partner and support team working behind your LIS, says Doug Milliken, Technology Sales Manager for Lighthouse Lab Services.
“The biggest key when searching for a LIS is to find a reliable system with a good development and implementation team,” says Milliken, who’s worked in the clinical lab space since the 90s. “Having a team that’s easy to work with and responsive when issues do arise is critical in the LIS space.”
The Importance of Laboratory Information Systems
A LIS is healthcare software that processes, stores and manages patient data for laboratory testing and to help laboratories reimbursed. Medical lab professionals use LIS to coordinate the workflow and quality control of inpatient and outpatient medical testing, including for toxicology, molecular testing, and more. LIS track, store, and update clinical details about patient’s testing during a provider visit and store the information in their database for future reference or reporting.
Lighthouse offers Beacon LIS under its suite of laboratory services, scalable, cloud-based toxicology and molecular LIS tailored for physician offices and small-to-mid-size reference labs. Lighthouse also assists labs with LIS personnel staffing for larger organizations.
Why Labs Need a Strong LIS
During the COVID pandemic, one of the lessons that became evident was that the system (and any good LIS) had to have the capability to interact with patients directly, as many were dealing with laboratories in a much more direct manner for the first time.
“Most LIS historically have interfaced between the doctor and the managing laboratory, but we’ve actually had a whole segment of patient encounters with COVID that led us to work with partners to increase patient engagement capabilities,” Milliken says.
And because engineering and customer support for Beacon is performed locally in North Carolina, labs using the system are able to quickly and efficiently resolve any issues that may arise.
If Beacon LIS isn’t the right solution for a particular lab, then Lighthouse can refer a LIS partner who fits the lab’s exact needs.
“Lighthouse is such a comprehensive solution for any lab, and Beacon LIS is one part of that solution,” Milliken says. “We work with the best LIS companies in the diagnostic market and refer 60% of our Beacon inquires to a LIS partner that best fits the needs of our customers, so we are a great place to start your LIS search.”
If you’re interested in learning more about Lighthouse’s LIS solutions, feel free to reach out to us today for a free consultation.