Choosing a Laboratory Information Management System feels like picking a life partner for your lab. It's a commitment that's hard to undo once you've made it. We've watched labs agonize over this decision for months, sometimes years, and we've also seen labs rush into purchases they regretted within weeks.
Key Insight: Labs that clearly define their "why" before starting the selection process typically finish in half the time and report higher satisfaction with their choice.
Before You Start: Define Your Why
The biggest mistake we see? Labs jumping straight into vendor demos before they've figured out what problem they're actually trying to solve.
"We need a new LIMS" isn't specific enough. You need to articulate:
- What's broken today? Maybe your current system can't scale with volume growth. Maybe compliance requirements have outpaced your software. Perhaps staff spend 40% of their time on manual data entry.
- What does success look like? If you implement a new LIMS and it works perfectly, what's different in 18 months? Be specific with numbers when possible.
- What constraints exist? Budget, timeline, IT resources, change management capacity, and regulatory requirements all matter.
Step 1: Document Your Workflows
You can't evaluate whether a LIMS fits your workflows if those workflows only exist in people's heads. Spend time mapping out how work actually flows through your lab today—not how it's supposed to flow according to SOPs, but how it really happens.
Key Workflows to Document
- • Sample receipt and accessioning
- • Test ordering and scheduling
- • Instrument data capture
- • Result review and approval
- • Reporting and delivery
- • QC processes
- • Inventory and reagent tracking
- • Billing and invoicing
For Each Workflow, Note
- • Current pain points
- • Time required
- • Error-prone steps
- • Compliance touchpoints
- • Integration requirements
Step 2: Separate Must-Haves from Nice-to-Haves
Every vendor will dazzle you with features. Your job is to stay focused on what matters.
Must-haves are non-negotiable. If a LIMS doesn't offer it, they're out. This might include:
- Specific regulatory compliance features (21 CFR Part 11, CAP, CLIA)
- Integration with particular instruments or EHR systems
- Support for your testing methodologies
- Multi-site capabilities
Nice-to-haves are valuable but not dealbreakers. You might trade off one nice-to-have for another.
Reality Check: No LIMS will do everything perfectly. You're looking for the best fit, not perfection.
Step 3: Consider Total Cost of Ownership
The license or subscription fee is just the beginning. Total cost of ownership includes:
| Cost Category | Components |
|---|---|
| Implementation | Configuration, customization, data migration, integration, validation, training |
| Ongoing | Maintenance/subscription, support, infrastructure, integration maintenance |
| Hidden | Productivity loss, staff time for admin, consultant fees, workarounds for missing features |
Step 4: Evaluate Vendors, Not Just Software
You're not just buying software—you're entering a partnership that could last a decade or more.
- Company viability matters. What's their financial health? Have they been acquired recently?
- Industry experience matters. A vendor with 50 clinical lab implementations will understand your world better than one adapting their pharmaceutical LIMS to clinical use.
- Support quality matters. Ask references specifically about response times and staff understanding of labs.
- Implementation track record matters. What's their typical timeline? How often do projects run over budget?
Step 5: Don't Skip the Reference Calls
Vendor-provided references will obviously be positive, but they're still valuable if you ask the right questions:
Questions That Reveal Real Experiences
- • What surprised you most during implementation?
- • What would you do differently if starting over?
- • What features do you use daily vs. rarely?
- • How responsive is support for complex issues?
- • Has the system scaled as your lab grew?
- • What workarounds have you developed?
- • Would you choose this system again?
Step 6: Get Your Team Involved Early
LIMS selection affects everyone who works with lab data—which is basically everyone. Involving key stakeholders early prevents resistance later.
Lab Operations
Daily users
IT Leadership
Support & infrastructure
Quality/Compliance
Validation & audits