Executive War College 2025 Conference Recap (part 2 of 3)

How Interoperability and Cloud Platforms Are Powering Clinical Lab 2.0

The clear narrative at EWC this year is that labs that have implemented integrated systems are better positioned to take on the Clinical Lab 2.0 model and deliver greater value. The shift toward consolidated and cloud-based IT platforms with robust interoperability enables labs to eliminate paper-based workflows, enhance productivity, and play a central role in expanding and delivering better patient outcomes. Here, we recap three sessions from EWC 2025 that showcased how leading labs and technology partners are turning this vision into reality.

 

Achieving “One Organization, One Application”

Sonora Quest Laboratories (SQL) laid out a clear Lab 2.0 roadmap anchored in digital transformation, centered on a single, front-end IT platform. Their initiative, “One Organization, One Application,” aimed to eliminate paper-based processes, unify fragmented systems, and boost productivity across patient service centers, lab operations, client services, and anatomic pathology. Their focus on interoperability, enabled by platforms like MuleSoft (a cloud-based integration platform from Salesforce) allowed for seamless data exchange across lab information systems (LIS), patient records, client interactions, and billing systems.

SQL’s focus on interoperability led to several key outcomes:

• Consolidated multiple systems into a single user interface, improving employee efficiency and reducing full time equivalent (FTE) needs.
• Eliminated paper-based workflows through integrated digital requisitions, insurance verification, and signature capture.
• Improved patient experience by reducing check-in time and enhancing order accuracy.
• Support for automation and AI, which relies on clean, structured data flow across platforms.
• Enabled real-time insights through integration with data analytics tools like Snowflake, fueling data-driven decision-making.

Sonora Quest’s approach illustrates how a focus on interoperability created the foundation for a next-gen, agile, and patient-centric lab.

Moving Lab Data and Digital Pathology Images to the Cloud

This session led by Optum and Gestalt highlighted how cloud-native infrastructure is a foundational pillar for Clinical Lab 2.0. They described how to choose cloud services and gave examples of potential solutions. The discussion emphasized that cloud adoption allows labs to unify disparate imaging systems, scale securely, and streamline interdisciplinary collaboration across radiology, pathology, and cardiology. The resulting elimination of data silos enables 360° patient views, integrated tumor boards, and seamless AI integration laying the groundwork for precision diagnostics and value-based care.

Benefits of cloud adoption and interoperability in Clinical Lab 2.0:

• Unified image management across all “ologies” (radiology, cardiology, pathology) improves care coordination.
• Cloud-native architecture enhances scalability, cybersecurity, and data accessibility across locations.
• Open APIs and DICOM support enable seamless integration with LIS, EMRs, and AI algorithms.
• Cross-disciplinary collaboration tools streamline workflows, reduce turnaround times, and support remote diagnostics.
• Data monetization and research: Cloud access enables better data sharing, fostering innovation in AI training and clinical trials.

Gestalt and Optum described how labs can become data-driven collaborators in the broader care continuum, moving beyond isolated diagnostics into continuous, patient-centered value creation.

 

Optimizing Revenue & Reducing Costs Through Interoperability and RCM Collaboration

Modern interoperability can also transform revenue cycle performance. Shadowbox, AIMA, and Providers’ Choice Laboratories (PCL) delivered a compelling case for why strong interoperability must be at the core of any lab’s strategy. Facing a diagnostic industry that has contracted by nearly 50% post-COVID, labs are being forced to do more with less. PCL’s partnership with Shadowbox showcased how modern interoperability accelerates value delivery. In just under three weeks, PCL deployed a fully customized ordering solution across 57 clinics using 13 different EHRs, with zero marginal costs per integration. 

 Key takeaways included:

• Initial set-up in a few weeks and installed in referring clinics within minutes
• Reduced denials and improved reimbursements through cleaner order intake.
• Scalable connectivity at zero marginal cost which reduces the risk of supporting smaller low-volume clinics.

“This industry is under massive pressure. If we’re going to survive, let alone grow, we need to replace outdated, disconnected systems with seamless, real-time data exchange that prevents revenue loss before it starts.”

Greg Stein, CEO of Shadowbox

“The ability to electronically connect to low-volume clinics at no additional cost meant we could grow without compromise,” said Adrian Brown, RCM Billing Manager at PCL. More importantly, clean, complete orders enabled faster turnaround times, reduced denials, and improved billing accuracy. We saw a 5.2% boost in average payments and a 21% reduction in denials for Shadowbox-enabled clinics.

AIMA’s CEO highlighted how interoperability fuels more effective revenue cycle management. For PCL, this led to a 6% increase in gross collection rate and over $7 million in annualized revenue gains.

“When labs capture the right data at the front end like ICD codes, patient demographics, and relevant medical history the claims can be scrubbed, verified, and allows us to gain authorizations in real-time.  This drives higher clean claim rates creating faster reimbursements and a more dependable cash flow.” 
CEO of AIMA

This case study from Shadowbox, AIMA, and PCL sets a clear message: labs that unify their front- and back-end systems through robust interoperability are better positioned to adapt to new business models, reduce operational friction, and lead the transformation toward personalized, value-based care. To accomplish this, labs must take proactive ownership of their future with a unified strategy, strong leadership commitment, and a willingness to embrace change. Success depends on aligning your team and vendors around shared goals, holding everyone accountable for overall lab performance, not just test volume, and demanding interoperability and collaboration at every level.

“Every person in the lab, from leadership to front-line staff, needs to be aligned and committed to change. It’s not always easy to get everyone moving in the same direction, but without that unity, labs risk becoming just another statistic in a shrinking industry.”

Adrian Brown, RCM Manager PCL

 

Dendi’s Take

At Dendi, our core philosophy is that the laboratory of the future demands a reimagined, interoperable foundation. As one of the earliest cloud-native LIS platforms, Dendi LIS was purpose-built with various integration engines including an open API architecture to ensure seamless, scalable integration with the ever-growing ecosystem of diagnostic instruments, EHRs, RCM tools, and other external applications. This flexible approach empowers our customers to innovate freely, whether by deploying direct-to-consumer models, supporting value-based care initiatives, or unlocking new data-driven services.

What the sessions at Executive War College made clear is that interoperability is no longer optional; it’s the key to unlocking Clinical Lab 2.0. Our philosophy of openness, agility, and vendor collaboration directly supports this evolution. By serving as a true system of record that connects with other systems – whether off-the-shelf or custom-built – Dendi enables labs to eliminate data silos, reduce operational friction, and future-proof their business for whatever comes next.