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
LabCorp, Quest Diagnostics Report Improved Q-3 Revenue
THIRD QUARTER EARNINGS at each of the nation’s two biggest public lab companies showed improved growth in revenue and specimen volume, as compared to recent years. Laboratory Corporation of America was first to release its financial report for the quarter ending September 30, 2014…
Alberta Picks Sonic Health for $3 Billion Lab Contract
CEO SUMMARY: For more than a year, Alberta’s C$3 billion RFP to develop an integrated laboratory testing service for Edmonton and surrounding regions has been the focus of intense interest. On October 17, health officials announced that Sonic Healthcare Limited was the preferred propone…
November 03, 2014 Intelligence: Late-Breaking Lab News
In response to the Ebola outbreak, the Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency authorization for the use of two rapid tests to detect Ebola. The tests are manufactured by BioFire Defense LLC, a division of BioMerieux. The BioFire Defense Fil…
Theranos Pursues Different Business Plan in Arizona
CEO SUMMARY: Since its big public debut in late 2013, Theranos has been the subject of keen interest and much skepticism among pathologists and clinical laboratory professionals. Theranos is expanding its presence in Phoenix, Arizona. However, as it does, it looks more like a conventional…
Labs Working to Release Test Results to Patients
CEO SUMMARY: A new federal requirement requires labs to make test results available to patients beginning this month. What is unknown is how patients will respond to the opportunity to see their lab test results. The effective date for this new requirement was October 6. It is expected th…
October 13, 2014 “Intelligence: Late-Breaking Lab News”
Quality management systems (QMS) have made inroads in some of the organizations that accredit clinical laboratories in the United States to the requirements of CLIA. Last month, COLA of Columbia, Maryland, acknowledged that it had recertified to the standards of ISO 9001: 2008. The r…
Did Labs Rip Off Medicare? Feds Are Investigating
CEO SUMMARY: One reason why there is not a level playing field in lab industry compliance with laws governing kickbacks and anti-business behavior is that government officials do not act quickly against the lab industry’s worst offenders—if they take any action at all. News of a feder…
Defining a Path to Clinical Laboratory Best-in-Class via Benchmarks
CEO SUMMARY: With the American healthcare system undergoing a major transformation, it is essential that all clinical laboratories and pathology groups recognize this transformation and effect the right strategies to meet the needs of physicians, patients, and payers. A g…
Pathologist Raises Questions about Theranos’ Business Model
Dear Editor: I read your two articles on Theranos in the August 11 issue of THE DARK REPORT, and concur in large part with your thoughtful conclusions. For several years, I have closely followed Theranos and have been quoted in trade publications speaking favorably…
September 22, 2014 “Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”
Did you know that the world’s longest automation track in a clinical laboratory has just become operational in India? At 93.5 meters (307 feet), it is longer than a football field, according to a press release issued by Siemens Diagnostics. The automation was installed at the centr…
CURRENT ISSUE
Volume XXXII, No. 15 – October 27, 2025
The Dark Report examines the momentous decision by the VA to switch accreditors from The Joint Commission to CAP. Also, we analyze retractions in pathology journals to gain insight into scientific fraud.
See the full table of contentsHow Much Laboratory Business Intelligence Have You Missed?
Lab leaders rely on THE DARK REPORT for actionable intelligence on important developments in the business of laboratory testing. Maximize the money you make-and the money you keep! Best of all, it is released every three weeks!
Sign up for TDR Insider
Join the Dark Intelligence Group FREE and get TDR Insider FREE!
Never miss a single update on the issues that matter to you and your business.