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
Automated Pap Smear Screening Expected to Build Market Share
EXPECT 1999 TO BE A PIVOTAL YEAR in automated Pap smear screening. This new technology is now poised to enter general clinical usage. As it does, an increasing volume of clinical data will make the case: either automated screening of Pap smears is clinically effective and economically justified—or…
“February 22, 1999 Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”
Here’s more validation that laboratories can use information links to doctors’ offices as added value. A recent survey of hospital CIOs was completed by PriceWaterHouseCoopers, Zinn Enterprises and Modern Healthcare Weekly. It revealed that the number on…
IMPATH Creates Its Brand Of Value-Added Pathology
CEO SUMMARY: IMPATH Inc. is a pathology company with an interesting twist. It doesn’t compete directly with community hospital-based pathologists like some national AP providers. Instead, it offers AP services which supplement the capabilities of the local pathologist. The formula must …
IMPATH Points Pathology Toward a Winning Future
CEO SUMMARY: Pathology is about to undergo a market transformation similar to radiology. As clinicians insist on more precise diagnostic and prognostic information about their patients, pathologists will have a perfect opportunity to reposition themselves as essential partners with the re…
Beckman Coulter Gets New CEO, Stock Gets Analyst Downgrade
AFTER SPENDING MOST OF 1998 digesting its 1997 acquisition of Coulter Corporation, Beckman Coulter, Inc. is ready for new business initiatives in the diagnostics marketplace. Beckman Coulter enters 1999 with a new leader. John P. Wareham, currently President and CEO, will assume the…
Lab Leads Hospital In Successful Effort To Reduce Infections
CEO SUMMARY: Most laboratorians struggle to get clinicians to pay close attention to the potential for lab data to improve healthcare outcomes. At Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the laboratory acqired in-house molecular typing test capability as one cornerstone for an aggressive infectio…
Top-Performing Labs at Executive War College
CEO SUMMARY: Once again, Executive War College time approaches. Scheduled for May 11-12, 1999 at the New Orleans Sheraton, this year’s roster of innovative laboratories promises to provide valuable insight about winning strategies. An expanded program offers a lab industry first: a know…
HMO Membership Shows First-Ever Decline in 1998
CEO SUMMARY: One of the most closely-tracked surveys of health cost trends was released last week. William H. Mercer Inc.’s report revealed two significant facts. One, enrollment growth in HMO/POS plans actually declined for the first time. Two, costs rose at the fastest rate in five ye…
“February 1, 1999 Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”
Are the financial fortunes of the national laboratories about to take a turn for the better? Financial analysts at FMR Corp. must think so. Last month the company disclosed that it had purchased 3 million common shares in Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, g…
DARK REPORT Picks 1998’s Ten Biggest Lab Stories
CEO SUMMARY: Our story picks for 1998 demonstrate a broad range of subjects. Each affects laboratories and pathology practices in significant ways and should be used to trigger appropriate management strategies. Two essential themes among this year’s ten biggest lab stories: continued d…
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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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