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
Nichols Institute Earns ISO 9001 Certification
CEO SUMMARY: Although it’s the first ISO 9001-certified clinical laboratory in North America, Quest Diagnostics’ Nichols Institute is a late-comer to the party. Most major diagnostics companies already have ISO 9001 certification. This issue of THE DARK REPORT explores why Nichols’ …
Expect ISO 9000 To Alter Clinical Lab Management
CEO SUMMARY: Perceptive laboratory executives and pathologists should welcome the impending arrival of ISO 9000 into the clinical laboratory industry. It promises to solve many problems of laboratory management. The diagnostics industry, responsible for manufacturing instruments and suppl…
Unrealized Gains Targeted By Premier’s Lab Initiative
CEO SUMMARY: In part one of this exclusive interview, Premier’s John Biggers described the reasons why the 1,700 hospital consortium developed a strategic services program for clinical laboratories. In this final installment, Biggers provides insight as to how the program will work and …
MedPartners To Divest Hospital-Based MD Unit
CEO SUMMARY: Hospital-based pathologists are increasingly the target of buy-out offers by the emerging group of pathology based physician practice management (PPM) companies. But MedPartners decided that managing hospital-based physicians was something that was not in its best interest. W…
“July 6, 1998 Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”
Last week THE DARK REPORT toured the Framingham, Massachusetts laboratory of Genzyme Genetics, the diagnostic testing division of Genzyme Corporation. It is probably the largest genetics-based diagnostics laboratory organization in the United States. The company’s …
Private Consortium Plans To Decode Human Genes
CEO SUMMARY: Five years ago, the only option for mapping was to involve the government. New advancements in technology have lowered costs so radically that now private companies are willing to use their own funds to map the human genome. This brings the day ever closer when genetics-based…
Premier Explains Reasons It Sees Lab As Strategic
CEO SUMMARY: Premier’s strategic alliance with Quest Diagnostics Incorporated represents a fundamental shift in the marketplace for hospital-based clinical laboratory services. This was a project developed by Premier, in response to its evaluation of marketplace trends affecting hospita…
Premier Executive John Biggers Discusses Reasons For Laboratory Initiative
CEO SUMMARY: Because of Premier’s influence with 1,700 of the nation’s 5,000 hospitals, laboratory administrators and executives should realize that this strategic services alliance between Premier and Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will change traditional laboratory practices, regard…
Humana, Inc. Acquired By United Healthcare
CEO SUMMARY: Clinical laboratories will see increased concentration of laboratory purchasing as a result of this merger. The combined company will insure 19.2 million people in 48 states. This transaction confirms that consolidation proceeds in all areas of the healthcare industry, despit…
HMOs Planning Double Digit Premium Increases For 1999
EXPECT THE HMO INDUSTRY TO PUSH double digit premium increases on employers for 1999. This will cause political and financial repercussions which impact clinical laboratories. “I think the honeymoon is over,” stated Henry Moyer, healthcare consultant with New York-based Hirschfield, Ster…
CURRENT ISSUE
Volume XXXII, No. 13 – September 15, 2025
The Dark Report examines a new bill that would reform PAMA and avoid reimbursement rate cuts scheduled for January 2026. Clinical laboratory leaders are urged to make their voices heard in Congress. Also, an expert describes how labs can fix pre-analytical errors and avoid disaster.
See the full table of contentsHow Much Laboratory Business Intelligence Have You Missed?
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