To answer the question “What is the laboratory information system?”, you must look beyond basic data entry or test reporting. A laboratory information system (LIS) is a comprehensive platform that manages the end-to-end process of clinical diagnostic testing. It orchestrates sample workflows, supports real-time data tracking, enforces compliance standards, and integrates with the broader healthcare ecosystem. The major components of a LIS are structured to cover pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical stages of laboratory operations.
Order entry and accessioning is the first component. This function captures incoming lab orders—whether manually entered or electronically received from an electronic health record (EHR) system. The LIS assigns a unique identifier to each specimen and links it to the correct patient, provider, and test requisition. Barcode generation and specimen routing logic are also handled here.
Specimen tracking and workflow management form the second critical component. A laboratory information system monitors the movement of each sample throughout the laboratory—flagging delays, automating routing to the correct department, and tracking chain of custody in real-time. This ensures no sample is misplaced, mishandled, or delayed during processing.
Instrument interfacing and result validation constitute the third core component. The LIS communicates directly with laboratory analyzers to collect raw data, apply calibration or quality control rules, and validate test results. This data is presented for review, edited if necessary, and approved by authorized personnel. The LIS ensures data integrity by enforcing rule-based validation and documenting every modification.
The fourth major component is reporting and integration. After test validation, results are formatted according to lab standards or provider preferences and delivered to downstream systems like EHRs or physician portals. The LIS supports configurable report templates, auto-faxing, secure messaging, and HL7-based integration. It also provides audit trails, turnaround time analytics, and regulatory documentation.
Understanding what is the laboratory information system reveals its critical role: it is not a passive database, but an active, rules-driven system that controls laboratory data at every stage, ensuring precision, traceability, and compliance in high-pressure healthcare environments.
Laboratory Information System Vendors
Not all laboratory information system software is created equal. The functionality, configurability, and long-term support offered by vendors vary widely, especially when comparing enterprise-grade solutions to entry-level platforms. Choosing the right vendor depends on testing complexity, volume, regulatory scope, and integration requirements.
Laboratory information systems examples range from single-discipline platforms to full-scale, multi-department systems designed for hospitals, reference labs, and public health networks. SCC Soft Computer’s SoftLab® exemplifies the latter—offering high-throughput processing, rules-based automation, and real-time interoperability with EHRs, billing systems, and laboratory instruments. Vendors like SCC address not only clinical workflows but also LIS-specific compliance demands, such as CLIA, CAP, and HIPAA.
Other laboratory information system software providers serve various market segments, but they differ in the degree of customization, scalability, and built-in compliance functionality. Some rely heavily on third-party modules or middleware to enable features native to more advanced LIS platforms, adding complexity to implementations and creating long-term support dependencies.
When evaluating vendors, laboratory leaders must assess four areas: domain expertise, integration capabilities, regulatory readiness, and configurability. Vendors that focus exclusively on laboratory solutions—rather than bundling LIS as a component of a broader EHR or hospital information system—are typically better positioned to meet the nuanced needs of complex labs.
System reliability and vendor responsiveness are also critical. Downtime, delayed support, or slow version updates create operational risk. Laboratories should prioritize vendors with a proven track record in supporting mission-critical LIS environments, especially those handling STAT testing, infectious disease workflows, or specialty diagnostics where turnaround time is directly linked to patient outcomes.
Strong laboratory information system vendors provide more than a product—they deliver a partnership built on laboratory operational excellence, regulatory confidence, and long-term system performance.
What are the Four Core Functions of a LIMS System?
To understand what is LIMS used for, you must evaluate the four foundational functions that define LIMS software: sample management, workflow automation, quality control, and regulatory compliance. A laboratory information system (LIS) handles patient-centric clinical workflows, a laboratory information management system (LIMS) focuses on specimen-centric operations, often in research, industrial, or specialty environments.
1. Sample Management
LIMS software captures and tracks specimens from initial intake through analysis and storage or disposal. Each sample is assigned a unique identifier—usually a barcode or alphanumeric code—that ensures traceability. Every movement, aliquot, or test is documented, allowing laboratories to maintain chain-of-custody records and quickly locate a sample’s status, history, and results.
2. Workflow Automation
Modern LIMS platforms automate routine laboratory processes to reduce manual entry and improve consistency. This includes scheduling tests, routing samples based on predefined rules, assigning instruments, and alerting staff to delays or anomalies. Automation reduces human error and speeds up overall turnaround time—an essential benefit in high-throughput or time-sensitive testing environments.
3. Quality Control Management
A core function of LIMS software is enforcing quality protocols. LIMS systems track lot numbers, calibration records, control materials, and instrument maintenance logs. They automatically flag out-of-spec results and can block reporting until issues are resolved. These controls ensure all reported data meets accuracy standards and supports reproducibility.
4. Regulatory Compliance
LIMS software is designed to support compliance with regulatory standards. It maintains audit trails, enforces user access controls, and logs every action taken within the system. Customizable reports and dashboards provide documentation for audits and regulatory inspections.
These four core functions make LIMS indispensable in settings where traceability, reproducibility, and accountability are non-negotiable. Whether in pharmaceutical R&D, environmental testing, or biotechnology labs, understanding what is LIMS used for reveals its role in transforming complex laboratory data into compliant, actionable results.
Choosing the Right LIS
Choosing the right laboratory information system depends on aligning system capabilities with the lab’s testing volume, regulatory obligations, and long-term growth plans. SCC’s SoftLab® offers the flexibility and depth required by high-complexity environments where precision, speed, and auditability are essential. The best LIS software provides more than result delivery. It enables end-to-end specimen tracking, real-time QC monitoring, and seamless integration with EHRs, instruments, and billing systems. SoftLab meets these demands through a scalable architecture, advanced rules engine, and a track record of supporting both enterprise health systems and specialty labs.