Laboratory Information Systems

Abstract

The laboratory information system (LIS) is a large, complex system made up of software and hardware that handles electronic data to support laboratory operations. Cytology was one of the first areas of anatomical pathology that embraced informatics, owing to regulations introduced by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) in 1988. In the cytopathology laboratory, the LIS helps deal with a high volume of specimens, repetitive tasks, and comply with required standards. The LIS provides a mechanism to electronically integrate patient data (e.g., demographics, clinical history, archived pathology reports), facilitate laboratory workflow processes, communicate diagnostic interpretations, assist with billing, capture coding, aid in quality assurance (QA), and connect with other information systems (e.g., hospital information system, electronic medical record, billing system). A stand-alone LIS is a system devoted entirely to Anatomical (or Clinical) Pathology (AP-LIS or CP-LIS). Such an LIS is often referred to as a best-of-breed LIS, because of the in depth functionality it offers.