LIS vendors sell to hospitals first, and LIS system vendors' demos are built for a procurement committee; a small clinical or pathology practice meeting LIS software vendors needs a shorter list. One screen with the patient, the order, the specimen and its results on it; the interface to the clinical record the practice's physicians use; the audit trail for one change; the export of every table; and the year's price at today's volume and at half as much more. The best LIS systems for a small practice are the ones that answer those five, and this page is that list. The free results review sheet on this site works the figure to bring to the demo, the review load, from the lab's own numbers with no account.
The five asks for a clinical lab
One patient, one order, one specimen, one screen. One change, one audit entry with who and when, which CLIA-regulated laboratories are asked for. The clinical interface, tested with the practice's own system. The export of every table in a form the practice reads without the vendor. The year's price at two volumes. A vendor that answers all five is a candidate whatever its size.
What LIS software vendors charge for
Per-test, per-provider or per-site prices step up as the practice grows; a flat price does not. Ask each vendor what the second year costs if the volume rises by half, and what the interface costs separately. The best LIS systems for a small practice make both answers small.
Judging without a ranking
This site publishes no ranking of LIS vendors; it publishes the sheets that say what any LIS must compute from its record, turnaround, review load, QC share, cost per test, and the paid plan that keeps the specimen record at one flat price. The clinical interface is the practice's own decision.
Questions people ask about lis vendors
What should a small clinical lab ask LIS system vendors?
For the patient, order and specimen on one screen, the clinical interface tested, the audit trail, the export and the year's price at two volumes.
Which are the best LIS systems for a small practice?
The ones that answer the five asks; this site publishes no ranking. The free sheets give the figures to compare demos against.
Is Limslane an LIS?
It keeps the specimen record and works the figures; the clinical interface to a physician's record is the practice's own decision.