The End of One-Size-Fits-All Testing: An Intentional Approach to Gastrointestinal Infection (GI) Diagnostics

Introducing a customizable approach to GI diagnostics designed for value-based care

For years, gastrointestinal (GI) testing followed a simple rule: test for everything, just in case. This mindset drove the development of large syndromic panels. But today, that approach is being challenged. Why? 

• Clinicians rarely need most of the targets on large panels
• Labs are over-testing the majority of patients
• Reimbursement pressure is increasing, forcing a rethink of panel size and cost

The reality is clear: More testing doesn’t always mean better care.

Current offerings don’t solve the problem

In response, the market has moved towards smaller or mid-sized panels but the core problem remains: panels are still fixed, inflexible, and not designed to serve varying clinical scenarios.

Therefore, labs are forced into a tradeoff:

• Large panels → over-testing and reimbursement risk
• Smaller panels → incomplete answers that may require additional testing

Until now, there has been no way to balance both. 

The Diasorin approach: start with the patient, not the panel

With the FDA clearance and US launch of the LIAISON PLEX^® Gastrointestinal Flex (GI Flex) Assay, testing starts with a different question. 

Instead of asking: “What can we test?” 

We ask: “What test does this patient actually need?”

Step 1: Right-sizing the panel

Most GI patients present with clinical clues: symptoms, history, and exposures that point to a defined set of likely pathogens.

With the LIAISON PLEX GI Flex Assay, labs can:

• Customize testing panels based on clinical presentation
• Focus on the most relevant targets
• Avoid unnecessary targets

Step 2: Expand testing only when needed

Concerned about missing something? You don’t have to be. 

Instead of testing everything upfront, the LIAISON PLEX GI Flex Assay enables labs to:

• Start with a focused set of relevant targets
• Instantly add targets only when clinically indicated

Step 3: Align cost with care

Traditional syndromic panels often require labs to run—and pay for—entire panels, regardless of how many targets are needed.

With the LIAISON PLEX GI Flex Assay:

• Most cases can be resolved using smaller, more targeted panels
• For more complex cases, testing can be expanded as needed
• Labs pay only for reported targets

What this means for laboratories

This flexible approach to gastrointestinal testing helps labs:

• Reduce unnecessary testing
• Navigate reimbursement pressures more effectively
• Support clinicians align diagnostics with clinical presentation
• Support diagnostic stewardship and value-based care

Built for real-world GI testing

The LIAISON PLEX GI Flex Assay is designed to deliver flexibility without compromise, combining broad coverage with a model built for value-based care:

• Customizable panels with up to 24 targets across bacteria, viruses, and parasites
• Strong parasite coverage to help reduce send-outs and traditional O&P workflows
• A model where labs pay only for the targets that are reported, supporting diagnostic stewardship and reimbursement alignment

A new standard for GI diagnostics

GI diagnostics is evolving from fixed, one-size-fits-all panels to patient-centered, adaptable testing strategies.

With the ability to customize panels based on patient presentation, expand testing only when needed, and align cost to what is reported, labs can finally move beyond traditional limitations. 

The LIAISON PLEX GI Flex Assay isn’t just a better panel. It’s a better way to test.