Robert Michel
Until Robert L. Michel came along and founded The Dark Intelligence Group (DIG) two decades ago, the clinical laboratory industry and the anatomic pathology profession lacked a trustworthy source for information about the management and operations of medical laboratories. From its inception in 1995, The Dark Report quickly became the “go to” source of industry intelligence, innovations in lab management, and strategic market analysis.
This excellence in reporting has earned recognition from his peers. For example, twice Michel and The Dark Report have won national awards for best investigative reporting by the Specialty Information Publishers Association. In 2005, the award was for Michel’s coverage about how the anatomic pathology condominium laboratories (pod labs) operated by urologists and gastroenterologists came to be, who operated them, and how these owners marketed the AP condo labs to other physician groups. In 2009, Michel’s award for best investigative reporting resulted from his published interviews with Quest Diagnostics Incorporated when the company admitted that, for a period of 18 months, it had been reported inaccurate Vitamin 25(OH) D results because of problems with its laboratory-developed test methodology. The Dark Report’s story was picked up by The New York Times and was in the national news cycle for several days.
In his role as Editor-in-Chief, Michel brought unique capabilities to DIG and The Dark Report. His management training and diverse business experience—along with his skills as a concise writer and analyst—proved to be a winning combination for readers of The Dark Report. For that reason, Michel’s story has many intriguing elements.
Immediately prior to founding DIG, he had served in several executive positions for Nichols Institute based in Portland, Oregon, and San Juan Capistrano, California. This was during the time that Nichols Institute was an independent public lab company with annual revenues of about $280 million (prior to its acquisition by MetPath, Inc., now Quest Diagnostics Incorporated). He traveled extensively to many of the clinical lab business units owned by Nichols Institute in different regions of the United States and played a role in formulating effective market strategies in response to the emergence of closed-panel HMOs, capitated pricing, and full-risk managed care contracts, among other successful management initiatives.
Prior to his service at Nichols Institute, Michel served at three different Fortune 100 companies. These were Procter & Gamble, Centex Corporation, and Financial Corp. of America. Each was an opportunity to master new management techniques and apply them in different industries. Between these positions, he gained experience as an entrepreneur, having founded a real estate development firm and a general contracting company in the Southeastern United States.
Robert Michel earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he played rugby, a sport he participated in for another 22 years. He is a native of California and grew up in Santa Ana.
Articles by Robert Michel
Leveraging Data to Create Lab and Healthcare Efficiencies
From the Volume XXXII, No. 8 – June 2, 2025 Issue
In this exclusive interview with The Dark Report, Bradley Bostic, founder, chair, and CEO of healthcare and laboratory data intelligence company hc1 discusses trends in healthcare, how to position clinical laboratories as a strategic asset, and ways to analyze diagnostic data t…
Leveraging Data to Create Lab and Healthcare Efficiencies
From the Volume XXXII, No. 8 – June 2, 2025 Issue
CEO SUMMARY: In this exclusive interview with The Dark Report, Bradley Bostic, founder, chair, and CEO of healthcare and laboratory data intelligence company hc1 discusses trends in healthcare, how to position clinical laboratories as a strategic asset, and ways to analyze…
Economic and Tech Changes Drive Lab Concerns
From the Volume XXXII, No. 7 – May 12, 2025 Issue
CEO SUMMARY: Uncertainty around tariffs, future regulations, and artificial intelligence (AI) defined the mood at the 2025 Executive War College, where nearly 1,000 lab leaders gathered. Speakers warned of how stagnant healthcare spending could trickle down to labs. Meanwhile, attendees…
Don’t Pass Up Chance to Steer LDTs, PAMA Reform
From the Volume XXXII, No. 7 – May 12, 2025 Issue
CLINICAL LABORATORY PROFESSIONALS HAVE RECEIVED A RARE CH…
Economic, Tech Changes Drive Lab Concerns
From the Volume XXXII, No. 7 – May 12, 2025 Issue
CEO SUMMARY: Uncertainty around tariffs, future regulations, and artificial intelligence (AI) defined the mood at the 2025 Executive War College, where nearly 1,000 lab leaders gathered. Speakers warned of how stagnant healthcare spending could trickle down to labs. Meanwh…
As 23andMe Faces Bankruptcy, Home Testing Shows Warts
From the Volume XXXII, No. 7 – May 12, 2025 Issue
HIGH-STAKES DRAMA SURROUNDING 23ANDME’S BANKRUPTCY—including CEO Anne Wojcicki resigning to try to bid for the company she cofounded and state prosecutors urging caution about the data privacy of the company’s customers—brings up a fundamental question regarding d…
LDT Oversight May Fall to Congress, CLIA
From the Volume XXXII, No. 7 – May 12, 2025 Issue
CEO SUMMARY: After a federal court struck down the FDA’s final rule on laboratory developed tests, attention has shifted to Congress and CLIA as likely paths forward for oversight. A lack of bipartisan momentum makes new legislation unlikely in the near term. Experts sug…
Quest, Labcorp CEOs Discuss Tariff Strategies with Investors
From the Volume XXXII, No. 7 – May 12, 2025 Issue
Leaders at Labcorp and Quest Diagnostics indicated that they are prepared to weather at least the early months of the unfolding tariff war that is upending the global economy. “There will be some impact from …
How Labs, Pathologists Should Prepare for Payer Audits
From the Volume XXXII, No. 7 – May 12, 2025 Issue
PAYER AUDITS ARE ON THE RISE, AND CLINICAL LABORATORIES AND PATHOLOGY PRACTICES THAT ARE NOT ADEQUATELY PREPARED could face millions of dollars in unexpected recoupment demands. That’s the word from Jane Pine Wood, JD, a healthcare attorney with McDonald Hop…
May 12, 2025, Intelligence: Late-Breaking Lab News
From the Volume XXXII, No. 7 – May 12, 2025 Issue
Yet another clinical laboratory has sold off part of its services to a national commercial lab. Labcorp announced on April 21 that it had finalized its acquisition of North Mississippi Health Services’ (NMHS) ambulatory outreach laboratory business. A…
CURRENT ISSUE

Volume XXXII, No. 8 – June 2, 2025
The leveraging of data is very important for creating laboratory and healthcare efficiencies. In an exclusive interview with The Dark Report, Bradley Bostic, founder, chair, and CEO of healthcare and laboratory data intelligence Company HC1, discusses trends in healthcare, how to position clinical laboratories as a strategic asset, and ways to analyze diagnostic data to improve efficiency and increase the bottom line.
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