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
“State of Lab Industry” Holds Surprises for All
CEO SUMMARY: Say goodbye to several of the trends which shaped the lab industry during the 1990s, such as consolidation and government compliance programs. Although these trends won’t completely disappear, they will be superseded by a number of new transformational influences. During th…
Abbott, CARESIDE, Bio-Reference Labs, DIANON Systems
SWARM OF LAWSUITS NOW PLAGUES ABBOTT LABS PAYING A $100 MILLION FINE TO THE Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not end Abbott Laboratories, Inc.’s problems related to its diagnostic test kits and reagents. Since payment of the FDA fine last month, Abbott has been serv…
Individual Pathologist “Branding” Promoted by National Firms
IN THE EFFORT TO GAIN COMPETITIVE market advantage, IMPATH, Inc. of New York City publicized the recent signing of an exclusive partnership agreement involving renowned pathologist Juan Rosai, M.D., also of New York City. Dr. Rosai has a world-wide reputation for his books, book cha…
Dynacare Buys LabSouth as Gateway into Alabama
CEO SUMMARY: With the acquisition of ARL/LabSouth, based in Birmingham and Montgomery, Dynacare immediately becomes a major player in the Alabama marketplace. Several interesting aspects to the sale demonstrate that it is becoming increasingly difficult for independent commercial laborato…
“January 3, 2000 Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”
Recent developments prove that the feds are serious about healthcare fraud and abuse! Sentencing was announced last month for the two Columbia/HCA hospital executives convicted last July 2 on charges of conspiring to defraud Medicare and other government healthcare programs. On Dece…
1999’s Top Ten Stories Reflect Speed of Change
CEO SUMMARY: This year’s round-up of the lab industry’s Top Ten most important stories lacks any compelling single theme. THE DARK REPORT’s conclusion? 1999 was a transition year. No new outside forces rattled the lab industry, allowing lab executives and pathologists to concentrate…
Court Rules Against Roche In PCR/Taq Patent Dispute
DECEMBER 7, 1999 WAS NOT an auspicious day for Hoffmann-LaRoche. One of its patents related to the PCR testing process was ruled invalid by a Federal District Court. The ruling involved Roche’s ’818 Taq patent, an enzyme used in the PCR process. The Court found that the patent h…
LabCorp and CIGNA Ink New Provider Agreement
CEO SUMMARY: After four years of working with SmithKline Beecham Clinical Labs as its sole designated laboratory provider, Cigna Healthcare recently opened the door to Laboratory Corporation of America. THE DARK REPORT believes this development is first evidence that the nation’s larges…
Lab Network in Florida Becoming Tough Player
CEO SUMMARY: Throughout the 1990s, a growing number of hospital laboratory administrators learned the value of a professionally-managed lab outreach program. In a few markets, these savvy lab leaders moved to the next level: using regional laboratory networks to solidify their local marke…
Specialty Labs Moving To Web-Based Services
CEO SUMMARY: Competition for hospital reference and esoteric testing remains intense. Three years ago, Specialty Laboratories made an early bet on Internet technology. It believed that being first to offer faster and less complicated access to laboratory informatics resources would give i…
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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