Best Medical Lab Management Software: Top 7 Solutions Reviewed

What distinguishes a quality modern medical service? The possibility for a patient to come and do all the necessary procedures in one place: to visit a doctor, to undergo a medical examination, to take tests for prevention and during treatment.

In order to ensure smooth operation of the medical centre and laboratories, doctors and medical workers need to keep up with the times and choose the best medical software on the market. From automating routine tasks to managing complex data, the right software can revolutionise lab efficiency and patient care.

This article reviews the top seven medical lab management software solutions for 2024:

1. Medesk
2. CrelioHealth
3. CGM LABDAQ
4. Dendi LIS
5. SciNote
6. LabCollector
7. eLabJournal

We'll explore their main features, user reviews, and pricing to help you make an informed decision for your clinical labs.

1. Medesk

Medesk is an all-in-one practice management software solution with a robust laboratory operations module. It integrates seamlessly with electronic medical records and other popular healthcare provider features to give you a unified workflow.

Lab integration. Medesk allows you to reduce the number of pieces of software used in the clinic and the laboratory to one. Thanks to PMS integration with laboratories, you can record payments to labs and payments to your clinic together, without spending too much time separating invoices.

Report generation. Test results are automatically added to your patients' medical records, where you can generate graphical reports on test changes and treatment results.

Sample management. If you are a doctor who is looking for fast processing of tests, the platform is for you. With Medesk, you can manage test requests right during appointments, print barcodes and stickers for sample processing.

Inventory management. The module helps to fully automate inventory and stock control in your clinic or laboratory. Patient and laboratory workflows are connected on a single platform: monitor stock turnover, automatically write off consumables, create reports, and single out the most common tests among your patients.

Use this information for cost and profitability calculations and for targeted marketing campaigns.

User reviews

Users praise Medesk for its intuitive interface and strong integration capabilities, though some note a steep learning curve for advanced features.

Pros:

1. Advanced analytics and marketing tools
2. Robust stock management
3. TDL integration
4. Vast learning centre and fast onboarding.

Cons:

1. Better suitable for small clinics and organisations
2. No postcode lookups.

Pricing

The prices start at $20 per 3 users and 50 appointments per month. A 15-day free trial is available.

2. CrelioHealth

CrelioHealth, formerly LiveHealth, offers a cloud-based LIMS focused on operational efficiency and patient care. It is designed for diagnostic centres, pathology labs, and hospitals.

Supported lab modalities:

1. Clinical pathology
2. Molecular pathology
3. Toxicology
4. Genetic testing
5. Histopathology
6. Microbiology

The software is ISO, GDPR, and HIPAA-compliant.

Sample management. With atomatic barcodes, we can convert the entire process of collecting, evaluating, and storing analytical results into an electronic format. With remote access to every step, you reduce the possibility of error and increase the efficiency of the laboratory.

Customizable reports. The platform gives you the opportunity to create and modify reports according to your needs and provides insights into lab performance and metrics. In addition, you can enable localisation to improve the quality of service for stakeholders in certain countries.

Patient portal. Your patients will be able to receive their test results online instantly and pay for future orders. Connect SMS, emails and communicate with patients and colleagues on WhatsApp thanks to automated communication.

You will be able to customise the portal in a branded style and include marketing tools for promotion and loyalty.

Finance control. CrelioHealth integrates with payment devices, gateways, and portals to create a unified space for financial control and management. You can send automatic bill invoicing, track patient account balances on their portal, and prevent debts.

User reviews

Crelio receives positive feedback for its remote access and patient engagement features, although some users mention challenges with EHR integration.

Pros:

1. Simple onboarding
2. Fast workflow
3. User control features

Cons:

1. Poor support
2. Time taken for troubleshooting

Pricing

The starting price for sample management is $1180 per month, which can be high for small-sized laboratories. A free trial is available.

3. CGM LABDAQ

CGM offers a comprehensive suite of healthcare software, including an advanced LIS designed for clinical laboratories. It assists in connecting to analyzers and reference labs and easily managing tests. HIPAA compliance goes as a bonus.

Workflow automation. This laboratory information management system is a convenient way to save time and avoid monotonous manual data entry. Users report that the software interfaces are user-friendly and can be customised to suit their laboratory. CGM LABDAQ automates data collection, analysis, and storage.

Data integration. The software integrates with lab instruments and healthcare systems like EMR, practice management systems, lab analyzers, etc.

Billing. CGM includes a billing and invoicing module that ensures that payments are received without delay and checks all invoices for errors.

User reviews

Users appreciate CGM's high level of automation and quality control, but note that the setup and implementation can be complex.

Pros:

1. Layman's Way results
2. Support team
3. User-friendliness

Cons:

1. Confusing management reports names
2. Poor search options
3. Lack of a cancellation test workflow.

Pricing

You pay $2000 once. A free trial is not available.

4. Dendi LIS

Dendi LIS is a modern medical lab software designed to simplify lab operations through automation and next-gen integrations.

It includes a client portal, EHR interfacing, an open API, etc.

Pre-built workflow management. The platform offers its users patient-centric workflows, which, unlike specimen-centric variants, provide greater customisation and ease of learning the software.

You’ll have access to:

• Genomics
• Toxicology
• Clinical chemistry
• Molecular diagnostics, PCR, and infectious disease
• Hematology
• Esoteric tests
• Microbiology

Integrations. Dendi integrates with interpretive reporting platforms such as Coriell, Arkstone, and GenXys. In addition, you can maximise the efficiency of your platform through collaboration with EHR (Epic, NextGen, PointClickCare), revenue cycle management platforms (Kareo, FrontRunnerHC), and patient engagement software (Arkstone, Newstar, GenXys).

Reports and analytics. Customisable report templates and data analytics dashboards are available for you to monitor progress in the number of patients and orders, study patient data, and assess patient experience.

User reviews

DendiSoftware is praised for its customisation and real-time tracking features, though some users find the integration options limited.

Pros:

1. Support team
2. Additional functionality (integrations)
3. Easy onboarding

Cons:

1. Lack of sample tracking in a batch
2. The print option doesn't always work.

Pricing

It starts at $1250 per month per feature. There is no free trial.

5. SciNote

SciNote is an electronic lab notebook (ELN) with LMS capabilities. It aims to improve lab productivity through digital transformation and team management tools.

The platform has extensive regulatory compliance: GLP, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, and more. It’s integrated with Office, ChemAxon, Quartzy, Gilson, and Protocols.io.

Team management and collaboration. The platform interface allows you to tag colleagues, message them, and leave notes. With advanced features, you can customise user permissions and share links and even views from the platform in real time, even with those who do not have a SciNote account.

Data management. Data is organised in the form of projects. With the platform, you have access to all data in one place, which you can modify according to the needs of your laboratory. Smart annotations help cross-reference components and ensure traceability.

Protocols in SciNote are well thought out. You can use a variety of formats in them: text, images, tables, tiles, checklists, codes, keywords, etc. Integration with Protocols.io allows you to import public protocols.

Inventory and stock management. The module gives you the ability to manage everything you use in the lab: reagents, samples, plasmids, supplies, and lab equipment. Track stock usage and get alerts when something runs out of stock. With SciNote, you can print barcodes, import and export existing Excel inventories, and optimise supply orders.

User reviews

SciNote is highly regarded for its collaboration features and compliance support, but users mention the need for additional modules for full laboratory management software functionality.

Pros:

1. Customisation
2. Permission levels
3. Hyperlinks

Cons:

1. Lack of a user-friendly calendar
2. No search options
3. Difficult navigation.

Pricing

A free trial is available. Paid plans start at $12 per user per month.

For precise and detailed pricing tailored to specific requirements, especially for the Enterprise and Academic Plans, contact SciNote directly.

6. LabCollector LIMS

LabCollector is a modular LMS designed for medical laboratories of all sizes. It offers a suite of tools to manage samples, reagents, and equipment efficiently.

ELN add-on. The addon is presented as a simple notebook in which you can store and manage all your experiments. The function acts as a replacement for paper journals with built-in templates, providing the ability to link experiments with data and share information.

Inventory management. Using the platform, you can track chemicals, reagents, and consumables. You can order components and create purchase orders from a single interface.

Scheduler. With this addon, you will be able to schedule and manage equipment, preventing overlaps in material pickup schedules and research.

Sample receiving. Manage the storage of plates/boxes, track them in bulk, and use an external API for barcodes. The function integrates with a 2D rack scanner.

User reviews

LabCollector is commended for its modular approach and ease of use, but some users point out that customisation can be complex.

Pros:

1. Highly configurable
2. Inventory management
3. Customer service.

Cons:

1. Long onboarding
2. Slow speed
3. Poor security.

Pricing

You will have to pay around $850 per user per year to use the LIMS/LIS Pack. LabCollector provides a free version and a 30-day free trial period.

7. eLabJournal

eLabJournal offers a cloud-based laboratory management system that supports digital lab management and workflow optimization. It focuses on elevating research and improving productivity.

Experiment data management. In the module, you will find segments from which you can build detailed experiments. The advanced search facilitates a quick search for information on your lab studies.

You can extend the functionality of your electronic lab notebook and add free add-ons from the eLab marketplace.

Sample tracking. Imagine being able to visualise your entire laboratory and see where samples are located, where equipment stands, the amount of reagents and consumables left, and so on.

The function allows you to conduct a full audit trail of any sample in the lab, as well as monitor the stock from customisable product catalogues.

eLab Marketplace. The eLab team allows you to extend the functionality of the laboratory processes with addons that you can install directly into your account.

You can access addons from 5 categories: biobanking, productivity, reporting, utilities, and GxP compliance.

User reviews

Users appreciate eLabJournal's user-friendly interface and strong lab data security, though some find the integration with existing systems to be challenging.

Pros:

1. Easy ELN
2. Customer support
3. Integration of Microsoft Office

Cons:

1. Difficult navigation
2. Long response time
3. Limitations in inserting raw data files.

Pricing

Pricing starts at $40 per user per month. There is a free 30-day trial period.

Summing Up: Choosing an Option

Each of the seven solutions reviewed—Medesk, CrelioHealth, CGM LABDAQ, Dendi LIS, SciNote, LabCollector, and eLabJournal—offers features that empower different laboratory instruments.

To choose the right software, follow these steps:

• Analyse the needs of your laboratory to understand what features you require.
• Conduct market research and write out the most popular options on the market. The good news is that we did it for you in this article :)
• Sign up for free trial periods (if available), get your team involved in testing different products. This way, you will try out several software products at once and make a more favourable decision.