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
IBM, Cal Tech, E-Patients, Qiagen, Digene, SABiosciences
DNA NANOCHIP IS GOAL OF IBM SCIENTISTS ADVANCES IN GENETIC AND MOLECULAR TECHNOLOGIES are giving pathologists new tools for diagnosing disease and guiding therapy. But what often receives less attention is how genetic and molecular technologies are finding applications in other scientific fi…
Laboratory Merger & Acquisitions Saw Several Deals during 2009
CONSOLIDATION OF INDEPENDENT CLINICAL LABORATORIES continued during 2009. The most active acquirer was Sonic Healthcare, Ltd., of Sydney, Australia. It purchased three laboratories in the United States this year. Just this month, Sonic acquired East Side Clinical Laboratory …
Catholic Health Initiatives Ramps Up Lab Outreach
CEO SUMMARY: Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) wants to expand its presence in outpatient and outreach services. It sees hospital laboratory outreach programs as a key component of this strategy. It will use an equity investment in Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories (PAML) as the f…
December 14, 2009 “Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”
In Nigeria, there is an aggressive effort underway to raise the quality of medical laboratory testing. One major element involves inspection of clinical laboratories throughout the nation by teams of laboratory professionals working with the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria …
Costs Falling Swiftly for Whole Genome Sequence
CEO SUMMARY: Several companies want to be first to achieve the holy grail in sequencing: an accurate whole human genome sequence produced in an hour for $1,000. Complete Genomics announced earlier this month that it could sequence the full human genome for a materials cost of $4,400 (not …
Explaining Certification Versus Accreditation
CEO SUMMARY: Early signs are that the quality management systems (QMS) most likely to find favor with hospitals and clinical laboratories in the United States will be those that meet standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Many hospitals and clinic…
Geisinger’s Use of EHR Creates Opportunity for Lab to Add Value
CEO SUMMARY: Every health reform proposal makes it a high priority to implement a universal electronic medical record (EHR). Because lab test data is the essential component of a successful EHR, laboratory managers and pathologists may soon have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to use EHR…
“Liked the Product–Bought the Company,” BD Acquires HandyLab and Jaguar System
IT WAS 1979 WHEN VICTOR KIAM jump-started sales of Remington electric razors with his classic, witty ad campaign, “I liked the product so much, I bought the company!” Now the same thing is happening with a benchtop-sized automated system for molecular PCR testing. In this case, it is Bec…
Xerox, Dell, and Hewlett-Packard Each Buy Into IT Outsourcing Market
IN RECENT WEEKS, TWO BIG PLAYERS spent billions to buy seats at the healthcare information technology (IT) table. Just one week apart, Xerox Corporation and Dell, Inc., acquired Affiliated Computer Services, Inc., and Perot Systems Corp….
November 23, 2009 “Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”
Identity theft was a key part of a financial fraud that Adeniyi Adeyemi, 27, used to steal approximately $1 million from accounts belonging to 11 not-for-profits and trusts. Among the victims was the American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC). Adeyemi was a computer technician…
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.
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