Laboratory Information Systems

Job Responsibilities:

• Maintain and troubleshoot existing information systems.
• Develop LIS databases.
• Develop, sell, select, install and support software and hardware for laboratory information systems in a variety of settings (e.g. hospitals, commercial clinical laboratories, multi-site health care institutions, research facilities).

Examples of qualifications needed to perform this job:

• Love of computers, systems and programs and what they offer to healthcare and laboratories per se
• Problem solving skills
• Interpersonal and communications skills

Additional education needed:

Experience with laboratory information systems required. Advanced degree sometimes required. Additional training (master’s/doctorate degree, certificate, special internships) and sales experience are a plus.

Where to look for employment:

Web pages of vendors (e.g. Cerner, Sunquest, Triple G Corporation)

Testimonial:

"As a LIS manager, I have the opportunity to serve as a liaison between the laboratory and other hospital departments. The LIS section of the laboratory is the important link in providing laboratory results to the physicians, medical records department, business office, nursing staff, and the hospital information system. The education and experience that are gained in a clinical laboratory program are necessary to understand the computer needs of not only the laboratory staff, but of the other health professionals with whom you interact. Meticulous technique, instilled in a student during their clinical program, is required not only at the bench doing laboratory testing, but also in the computer section of a laboratory.

Beginning with the system implementation, where an entire team builds a database, interfaces instruments and installs hardware, through the maintenance, upgrades, and troubleshooting of the laboratory information system, there is never a dull moment in the LIS department!"

Kathy Sakris
LIS Coordinator
St. John’s Hospital, Springfield, IL

Kathy is a 1974 graduate of the clinical laboratory science program at St. John’s Hospital and has a specialty certification in microbiology.