Since 1995, Reliable Business Intelligence for Clinical Laboratories, Pathology Groups and Laboratory Diagnostics

March 2008

Digitization of Pathology Is Making Steady Progress

Digital Pathology / By Robert Michel

CEO SUMMARY: Pathology digitization incorporates a greater scope of work-changing technologies than telepathology. It incorporates information technology, new diagnostic knowledge, and other engineering innovations to help pathologists move past glass and paper. Existing digital pathology systems are already helping pathologists reduce their travel from site to site by enabling them to view digitized images from …

Digitization of Pathology Is Making Steady Progress Read More »

To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.

March 24, 2008 “Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”

Late Breaking Lab News / By Robert Michel

Things are happening under new ownership and management at DCL Medical Laboratories LLC., based in Indianapolis, Indiana. DCL announced a strategic partnership with Third Wave Technologies Inc., a molecular diagnostics company in Madison, Wisconsin. In the partnership, DCL will serve as a product development and marketing partner for Third Wave for its emerging diagnostic technologies. …

March 24, 2008 “Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News” Read More »

To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.

Medicare Competitive Bid Lawsuit Heads toward a Judge’s Ruling

Laboratory Billing / By Robert Michel

LOOK TO APRIL 7 FOR THE NEXT DEVELOPMENT in the federal court case filed by three San Diego-area laboratories challenging the Medicare Laboratory Competitive Bidding Demonstration Project. That’s when the judge is expected to rule on the case. The latest development was on March 14, when federal lawyers made a court filing. They argued that …

Medicare Competitive Bid Lawsuit Heads toward a Judge’s Ruling Read More »

To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.

Ascendium Consulting Is New Firm In Lab Market

Clinical Laboratory Trends / By Robert Michel

CEO SUMMARY: Growing numbers of laboratories are taking steps to reengineer work flow, evaluate automation solutions, and improve the operational performance of their laboratory. This is fueling a demand for laboratory consulting services and Ascendium Consulting is this newest healthcare and lab consulting company in this marketplace. It became operational on January 1, 2008, as …

Ascendium Consulting Is New Firm In Lab Market Read More »

To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.

Heparin, China, Reagents, and Your Lab

Commentary and Opinion by R. Lewis Dark / By R. Lewis Dark

MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD THE NEWS about the contaminant that was found in the heparin manufactured and sold by Baxter International, Inc. Authorities, responding last fall to reports of hundreds of bad reactions and 19 deaths to the drug, quickly focused on the Chinese companies that supplied the ingredients used by Baxter to manufacture …

Heparin, China, Reagents, and Your Lab Read More »

To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.

Bostwick Labs Prepares For Public Stock Offering

Clinical Laboratory Trends / By Robert Michel

CEO SUMMARY: In recent years, annual revenue at Bostwick Laboratories has skyrocketed, reaching $102.8 mil- lion in 2007. Now the company, known for its national uropathology expertise, has filed documents in preparation for an initial public stock offering (IPO). Bostwick Laboratories is the latest success story in anatomic pathology. It hopes to raise $100 million …

Bostwick Labs Prepares For Public Stock Offering Read More »

To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.

Hospital Lab Takes CMS To Court in CLIA Case

Laboratory Compliance / By Robert Michel

CEO SUMMARY: A California hospital challenged CMS in federal court over the threatened loss of its lab’s CLIA certificate. CMS threatened to revoke the certificate in 2007 and stop paying the hospital’s Medicare and Medi-Cal lab bills. In January, Victor Valley Community Hospital won a court injunction preventing CMS from revoking its CLIA certificate. Now …

Hospital Lab Takes CMS To Court in CLIA Case Read More »

To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.

Labs Should Prepare for Tighter CLIA Enforcement

Laboratory Compliance / By Robert Michel

CEO SUMMARY: Lab directors and pathologists should take notice of disturbing new developments in enforcement of CLIA regulations. During the past year, CMS officials have revoked the CLIA certification of several hospital laboratories for what are, essentially, inadvertent violations of proficiency testing (PT) procedures. Revocation of lab’s CLIA certification lasts for one year, and also …

Labs Should Prepare for Tighter CLIA Enforcement Read More »

To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.

Judge Rules Against Labs In Medicare Lab Bid Case

Laboratory Billing / By Robert Michel

CEO SUMMARY: On February 14, Federal District Judge Thomas J. Whelan denied the request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) by three San Diego labs that would have stopped the Medicare Laboratory Competitive Bidding Demonstration pilot project until several legal challenges were adjudicated. It is believed that CMS received bid applications from an unknown number …

Judge Rules Against Labs In Medicare Lab Bid Case Read More »

To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.

Hospitals Saw Several Benefits In Forming Laboratory Joint Venture

Clinical Laboratory Trends / By Robert Michel

CEO SUMMARY: For the past eight years, growing numbers of hospitals and health systems have launched laboratory outreach programs. Hospital CEOs are recognizing that laboratory outreach programs generate worthwhile operational gains, along with steadily-increasing revenues. However, laboratory outreach programs also require a significant capital investment, because the hospital laboratory needs to match the service levels …

Hospitals Saw Several Benefits In Forming Laboratory Joint Venture Read More »

To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.

;