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
Shared Lab Organizations Evolving Into New Forms
CEO SUMMARY: For two decades, the limited number of laboratory joint ventures that appeared were invariably partnerships between commercial labs and hospital labs. Today’s hostile healthcare environment makes it tougher for these types of joint ventures to prosper and meet the needs all…
Hospital Labs To Regain Pre-Eminence in Coming Years
CEO SUMMARY: During the past five years, powerful forces in the healthcare marketplace positioned hospital-based laboratories to once again become the dominant force in laboratory testing. But this can only occur if today’s generation of hospital laboratory directors and clinical pathol…
Aetna Settles Texas Suit, To Reform Care Policies
CEO SUMMARY: Texas demonstrates that, where providers have political clout, some of the more onerous aspects of managed care can be changed. The Texas Attorney General sued Aetna and five other HMOs in 1998 about the way physicians were given incentives to stay within budget numbers for t…
Humana Denies Payment For Pathology CPT Codes
CEO SUMMARY: It’s not just the Medicare program that wants to eat away at the reimbursement for laboratory tests. Private payers continue to seek ways to cut back reimbursement to laboratory providers. The latest attack is on two surgical pathology codes—88300 and 88302. In at least t…
“April 17, 2000 Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”
Here’s an update on the number of integrated healthcare networks in the United States. SMG Marketing Group, Inc. of Chicago reports that IHNs seem here to stay. Between January 1999 and January 2000, the number of IHNs decreased from 604 to 595. That number is misleading, however. …
Looking for Laboratory Leadership
ONE ASPECT OF LABORATORY MANAGEMENT which is seldom discussed is the topic of leadership. Pure and simple, every laboratory organization and pathology group practice needs an effective leader if it is to survive and prosper. This is particularly true as reimbursement for lab services continues to shr…
2000’s Movers & Shakers Represent Strong Leaders
CEO SUMMARY: Its time again for THE DARK REPORT to make its yearly selection of the lab industry’s Movers & Shakers. Individuals chosen for 2000 represent a cross section of laboratory companies. Their successes demonstrate that leadership and vision continue to make a difference, d…
Pap Technology Wars Expected to Intensify
CEO SUMMARY: With patience and persistence, Digene, Inc. is developing the effectiveness of its DNA-based HPV assay. Publication of recently-completed clinical trials provides evidence that Digene’s Hybrid Capture II ® HPV test, with further improvement, might become a relevant tool in…
Honolulu Lab Pursuing Pacific Rim Business
CEO SUMMARY: With one laboratory already operating in Guam, Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Inc. (DLS) is poised to expand its services in the Pacific Rim area. Now a major competitor within Hawaii, DLS sees the island archipelagos of the Pacific Ocean as a natural extension of its existi…
Independent California Lab Decides to Exit Business
CEO SUMMARY: Market forces in California continue to put independent laboratories under sustained financial stress. One laboratory owner decided it was an auspicious time to sell his lab. That sale, of POISONLAB to Laboratory Corporation of America, was announced earlier this month. There…
CURRENT ISSUE
Volume XXXII, No. 12 – August 25, 2025
In an exclusive interview, a laboratory industry M&A specialist discusses what’s driving lab outreach sales to national lab companies. Also, The Dark Report analyzes ways in which pathology and clinical labs can profitably partner with pharmaceutical companies.
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