The Future of the LIS: Reflections about Consumers Ordering Their Own Lab Tests

Discussion about the LIS of the Future; Analytics as a Key Feature?). I have raised two major points thus far: (1) a major function of the LIS of the future will be to manage diagnostic and predictive analytics; and (2) it's not clear at this time which type of vendor (LIS, EHR, other) will dominate this new LIS landscape. I have also been referring to the LIS of the future as the LIS-A because of the emphasis on analytics.In this note, I want to emphasize that consumer preferences will be a factor in lab analytics testing. For about two decades, consumers have been allowed to order their own lab tests using the direct access testing (DAT) option. Although DAT has never accounted for a substantial percentage of total lab testing, it has set a precedent regarding consumer choice in the lab world. Ironically, the ability for consumers to order their lab tests for themselves in Arizona was the result of lobbying by Elizabeth Holmes, the now discredited CEO and founder or Theranos (see:New Arizona Law Expands Number of Lab Tests Consumers Can Order on their Own, Fuels Debate). It's only a matter of time before the majority of states allow DAT because of the growing power of consumerism. Currently, approximately 24 states allow total or limited consumer lab test ordering (see: Direct-Access Testing: A State-by-State Analysis).A telling point was made in my recent note about consumers ordering a predictive analytics test (see: Continuing Discussion about t...
Source: Lab Soft News - Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: Tags: Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab Testing Genomic Testing Healthcare Innovations Lab Industry Trends Lab Regulation LIS Definitions and Strategy LIS Vendor News Source Type: blogs