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
Digene Corp’s HPV Test Attracts More Attention
CEO SUMMARY: Evidence accumulates that HPV testing may be an effective way to identify women at risk for cervical cancer. Both Laboratory Corporation of America and Quest Diagnostics Incorporated recently added Digene’s Hybrid Capture® II HPV test to their menu. The intent is to offer …
NY Labs Achieve Repeal Of Onerous Surcharge
CEO SUMMARY: Clinical laboratories in the state of New York demonstrated that the lab industry can effectively influence legislation when the state legislature finally repealed the onerous laboratory test surcharge first enacted in 1997. Lab industry leaders should apply the lessons learn…
Epitope, LabOne, CARESIDE, Quest, Structural Bioinformatics, UroCor
EPITOPE RAIDS LABONE FOR NEW PRESIDENT/CEO; READIES DRUGS OF ABUSE MARKET LAUNCH DURING THE YEAR 2000, Epitope, Inc., based in Portland, Oregon, plans to introduce a drugs of abuse test based on its patented OraSure® oral collection technology. To aid in this new product l…
“January 24, 2000 Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”
Financial progress at Tenet Health Corp. provides a glimpse at how the hospital industry is faring. Tenet announced a 7.2% increase in revenues for fiscal second quarter, fueled primarily by an increase in patient admissions at its 113 hospitals. Tenet also reported an average increa…
“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…
CURRENT ISSUE
Volume XXXIII, No. 4 – March 23, 2026
A federal court ruling has established a safe harbor for clinical labs when they run tests ordered by physicians. Lab leaders should examine this briefing for pitfalls. Also, it turns out that providers may be ordering inappropriate vitamin D tests, according to one expert.
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