September 2022

Consumer Trends, Quality Management, and Labs

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

TODAY’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS MARKED by uncertainty and unprecedented pressures. Every clinical laboratory and pathology group faces the triple whammy of shrinking budgets, staff shortages, and a rate of inflation that drives up the cost of supplies and salaries. There are effective ways that labs can attack that triple whammy. In this issue of The …

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Telemedicine Firms Offer Home Blood Draws

TDR Insider / By Robert Michel

This is an excerpt of a 1,415-word article in the September 19, 2022 issue of THE DARK REPORT. The full article is available to subscribers. CEO SUMMARY: Telemedicine provider Teladoc Health has announced new services for certain primary care customers that include at-home phlebotomy appointments. The move is evidence of the consumer demand for increased …

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Telemedicine Firms Offer Home Phlebotomy Service

Clinical Laboratory, Clinical Laboratory Trends, Lab Intelligence / By Scott Wallask

CEO SUMMARY: Telemedicine provider Teladoc Health has announced new services for certain primary care customers that include at-home phlebotomy appointments. The move is evidence of the consumer demand for increased convenience and flexibility in their healthcare. Scarlet Health, a division of BioReference Laboratories, will handle the on-demand phlebotomy arrangements for Teladoc Health. IN JULY, TELADOC …

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Texas Lab Details Dual Accreditation Journey

Clinical Laboratory, Laboratory Management, People / By Scott Wallask

CEO SUMMARY: In seeking dual accreditation for CLIA and ISO 15189, Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory of San Antonio adapted existing processes to meet accreditor expectations. The result was stronger staff empowerment to suggest improvements in quality, combined with increased recognition of the clinical laboratory’s testing capabilities in global markets. FOR CLINICAL LABORATORIES INTERESTED IN PURSUING BUSINESS …

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Lean Is Smart Approach to Major Lab Cost Savings

Laboratory Management, Lean Six Sigma / By Robert Michel

CEO SUMMARY: It’s a time when clinical labs are under extreme pressure to cut costs, even as they deal with understaffing. One proven approach to reducing expenses while preserving quality is to apply Lean methods in conjunction with Six Sigma tools. It is often true that successful use of Lean to streamline workflow engages lab …

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Attorney Advises Labs to Track Genetic Test LCDs

Genetic Testing, Lab Risk & Compliance, Laboratory Compliance / By Scott Wallask

CEO SUMMARY: Skyrocketing numbers of genetic test referrals and telehealth claims since 2016 are getting the full attention of both federal prosecutors and auditors from Medicare and private health insurers. The DOJ has filed criminal cases against a growing number of telehealth providers. Genetic testing lab companies are often charged in the same criminal cases. …

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Feds Target Genetic Test and Telemedicine Fraud

Genetic Testing, Lab Risk & Compliance, Laboratory Billing, Laboratory Compliance / By Scott Wallask

MEDICARE FRAUD TOTALING $562 MILLION in genetic and cardiovascular tests is at the heart of recent federal criminal cases involving telemedicine that names clinical laboratory owners, physicians, and healthcare marketers as defendants. A host of indictments were announced on July 20 by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The 13 defendants collectively are accused of …

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September 19, 2022 Intelligence: Late-Breaking Lab News

Late Breaking Lab News / By Robert Michel

Déjà vu? Lawmakers in Congress question whether public health officials have done enough to stay ahead of monkeypox, including the availability of diagnostic tests. Concerns about such testing came up during a Sept. 14 hearing before the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. “Access to testing was an early challenge in the monkeypox response, …

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