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
Pathology “Condo Labs” Are New Business Ploy
CEO SUMMARY: We call ‘em pathology condominium laboratories. Other names are “pod labs” and “salon labs.” Whatever name is used, this new scheme by specialist physicians to capture pathology revenues may be the most significant threat to the anatomic pathology profession since t…
In-House Versus Off-Site: Different Concerns
CEO SUMMARY: Three methods are available to specialist physician groups to capture anatomic pathology revenues generated by their patient population. Two methods have been around a long time. The pathology condo lab method is a new ploy. Of the three, one is generally accepted and more ea…
Changing Economics Motivate Urologists & GIs
CEO SUMMARY: Over the past 18 months, more specialist groups have created their own anatomic pathology laboratories than were created in the past five years. It’s a gold rush to tap and capture profits generated by the anatomic pathology services provided to their patient populations. T…
“July 19, 2004 Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”
A transfusion of the wrong type of blood may have contributed to the death of a critically ill woman at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota, Florida last month. The patient died about a day after the transfusion. Following the blood transfusion, a reaction had been observed. Atten…
Esoterix & UnitedHealth Sign National Test Pact
CEO SUMMARY: Just when it is assumed that the two blood brothers have a lock on national lab testing contracts with the nation’s biggest payers, Esoterix inks an agreement with UnitedHealth Group. This now positions Esoterix to offer its higher-end reference and esoteric testing to hosp…
UnitedHealth’s Decision Reveals Lab Market Shift
CEO SUMMARY: News that UnitedHealth Group, Inc. added Esoterix, Inc. to its national laboratory services contract is a big story. UnitedHealth’s decision to expand the laboratory panel demonstrates that factors other than lowest price played an important role. The move to supplement its…
National AP Firms Target Gastroenterology Groups
CEO SUMMARY: It’s a trend as yet invisible to the radar screens of most pathology groups. A new crop of specialty AP companies is targeting gastroenterology. In the past 36 months, several have posted phenomenal growth in both specimen volume and revenue. The heightened competition for …
Sysmex Anticipates Major Shifts In Laboratory Testing Market
“Innovating from our core technologies will lead Sysmex into very different areas of laboratory testing.” —John Kershaw CEO SUMMARY: Sysmex America, Inc. surprised many this year when it hired its own sales and service team and begin distribu…
Digene, Kaiser Northern California, ARUP Labs, Bio-Reference Labs, Specialty Labs
DIGENE ENJOYS GROWTH OF 39% IN RECENT MONTHS FUELED BY RECOGNITION that HPV plays a key role in causing cervical cancer, demand for Digene Corporation’s hc2 High-Risk HPV DNA test is increasing at impressive rates. For fiscal third quarter 2004, Digene reported revenue gr…
“June 28, 2004 Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”
There’s early evidence that health benefit costs for 2005 may only increase by a single digit percentage. Hewitt Associates is gathering data from 160 large companies for its annual healthcare cost survey. It reports that an average increase of 13.7% appears likely, compared to a 1…
CURRENT ISSUE
Volume XXXII, No. 14 – October 6, 2025
The Dark Report examines increasing healthcare costs for employers and how clinical labs can help those employers. Also, an in-depth case study shows how one hospital system regained its outreach program after originally ceding it to a national lab company, adding millions to the system’s bottom line.
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