In a recently posted video, the conference producer for the 2026 Executive War College shared five predictions that she believes will shape the clinical laboratory industry through the end of this decade.
“The future of this industry will not be decided by technology alone,” Ashleigh Harris said in her clip, based on her discussions with speakers and having a leading hand in the event’s content. “It will be decided by leaders who choose to embrace transformation early, break down silos, and align science, operations, and data.”
We’ve embedded Harris’ video in this story so that you can easily view it.
The Executive War College on Diagnostic, Clinical Laboratory, and Pathology Management took place April 28-30 in New Orleans.
Five clinical lab predictions to note
Here’s an overview of the five predictions Harris presented:
1. AI-native labs will be defined by connectivity. Savvy medical labs will move beyond simply embedding artificial intelligence to becoming "AI-native" through total system connectivity. Harris anticipated that the most successful laboratories will partner with major IT organizations to bridge internal silos and enable data interoperability across the entire care continuum.
2. Revenue cycle will transition to a strategic business center for labs. No longer a mere back-office function, revenue cycle management is expected to evolve into an intelligence hub that drives high-level business decisions, Harris noted. By moving these financial insights upstream, labs can ensure that their services are tied to the economic realities of the healthcare market. “Labs will design services with reimbursement in mind from day one—not as an afterthought,” she said.
3. Digital pathology will reach critical mass. Within the next five years, digital pathology is projected to transition from a technology choice to a baseline requirement for large health systems. This shift, powered by the integration of digital imaging and AI-assisted diagnostics, will dismantle geographic barriers to subspecialty expertise and help rewrite staffing models, Harris said. Watch for a new standard of diagnostic precision that combines human expertise with machine efficiency.
4. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) testing will become a new front door for patients. DTC diagnostic services will turn into a primary entry point for healthcare engagement. While this expansion offers clinical labs a massive opportunity to increase access and patient involvement, it also necessitates the development of more robust clinical integration and clearer data ownership models. “Labs that define this model early will lead it,” Harris predicted.
5. Labs will claim a seat at the strategic table. In what could become the most pivotal shift, clinical laboratories are poised to directly influence population health strategies and clinical decision pathways. Harris suggested that labs will play a central role in shaping enterprise-wide strategy and payer conversations, rather than just acting as a service provider. However, this seat at the table is not guaranteed. “It will require a louder voice [from labs], better data storytelling, and stronger alignment with health system leadership,” she said.
If realized, these predictions will strengthen the foundation of clinical labs
Dark Daily readers will likely recognize elements of these predictions within their own clinical laboratories. From Harris’ point of view, the sooner diagnostic lab professionals embrace one or more of the areas she highlighted, the stronger the lab positions itself.
By the way, planning is already underway for the 2027 Executive War College, which will return to New Orleans on April 26-28.
