Clinical laboratory professionals may be gaining greater influence in health system investment decisions as healthcare executives increasingly view laboratory services as strategic contributors to patient care and operational performance.
A survey commissioned by Siemens Healthineers and conducted by YouGov found that 82% of healthcare executives considered expanding their laboratory services during the past year.
The findings were released in conjunction with the Association for Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine (ADLM) 2026 Annual Scientific Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo.
Among 155 US healthcare executives whose organizations perform laboratory testing on-site, more than half said they view the laboratory as an important clinical enabler. Meanwhile, 81% strongly agreed that laboratory turnaround times directly affect patient care, and 72% strongly agreed that lab performance is critical to broader organizational efficiency.
“Lab leadership can have a seat at the table to talk to executives about what’s needed in their laboratory,” Michele Zwickl, head of laboratory solutions for diagnostics at Siemens Healthineers North America, said during a press conference at ADLM 2026.
The results indicate that “the lab is important, and that’s a great message for laboratorians and certainly for lab leadership,” she added.
Executives prioritize lab modernization
The survey also points to continued opportunities for clinical laboratories seeking funding for new equipment and infrastructure.
Fifty-four percent of executives said diagnostic and laboratory equipment was a priority for technology upgrades, trailing only AI-enabled tools and clinical decision-support technologies, which were cited by 64%.
Additionally, 84% of executives agreed or strongly agreed that aging laboratory equipment poses a risk to their institutions and their missions.
Organizations that made changes to their laboratory operations primarily expanded infrastructure, cited by 37% of respondents, or increased their test menus, cited by 31%. Others created new laboratory offerings, acquired laboratory services, consolidated operations, or outsourced testing.
Workforce shortages remain another concern. Siemens noted that 65% of respondents said laboratory staffing shortages had affected their organizations, although more than one-third acknowledged that lab staffing shortages are not prioritized at the same level as shortages among other clinical workers.
For laboratory directors, the survey suggests that demonstrating measurable financial and clinical returns will remain important when seeking capital investments. Among executives whose laboratory investments stalled, 31% cited uncertainty about the cost-benefit proposition as the primary barrier.
The findings indicate healthcare executives are looking for laboratory technologies that improve operational performance, patient care and quality outcomes, while generating long-term value for the organization.
That could create additional opportunities for clinical laboratory leaders to tie modernization proposals—including automation, informatics, AI, and new testing capabilities—to broader health system goals rather than presenting laboratory investments solely as operational necessities.
Look for further analysis of this survey in the upcoming August issue of The Dark Report.
This article was created with the assistance of Generative AI and has undergone editorial review before publishing.
