Stephen Beale
Articles by Stephen Beale
Tracking the Chain of Custody in Histopathology Labs
Despite increasing adoption of digital pathology systems, many histopathology laboratories remain mired in manual workflows in the critical pre-analytical phase, as specimens are collected and processed into slides. Such workflows are not only …
Providers May Be Ordering Inappropriate Vitamin D Tests
Heightened consumer interest has been driving demand for vitamin D testing in recent years. However, clinical laboratories should be aware that some providers could be ordering the wrong test to measure levels of the vitamin, in part due to the way that online or…
Pathology Lab Opportunities for Biopharma Collaboration
As anatomic pathology laboratories face declining reimbursements and other challenges to their bottom lines, one possible solution could involve collaboration with biopharmaceutical companies. But what exactly are drug companies looking for, and how can labs forg…
RCM Automation Helps Lab Manage Billing Headaches
CEO SUMMARY: In an era where it is widely suspected that private payers are using artificial intelligence to review and deny diagnostic test claims, Southwest Labs in New Mexico decided to fight back. The organization worked with RCM firm Wuscott to figure out why claims w…
Lab Specimen Logistics Reach into the Home
Simple, at-home collection of blood samples could go a long way toward improving the patient experience while creating new opportunities for clinical laboratories. But it also presents unique logistical challenges as labs find themselves operating in a more consu…
Boosting Path Revenue with POC Services
CEO SUMMARY: The concept sounds simple—bring mobile point-of-care pathology services to physician offices and ambulatory surgical centers via specially equipped vehicles. Doctors Pathology Services explains some of the road bumps it hit along the way while also uncoverin…
Bringing Lab Testing to Hybrid Care Locations
CEO SUMMARY: Clinical laboratory testing plays an important role in individual urgent care and emergency sites, but when such services are offered under one roof, planning for lab tests, related equipment, and CLIA provisions becomes more complicated. TriCore shares its ex…
Strategies to Succeed with Laboratory Outreach Programs
In recent years Labcorp and Quest Diagnostics went on buying sprees, acquiring laboratory outreach businesses from major health systems. They argue that they can run these operations more efficiently, while the sellers get much-needed cash infusions. (See …
Pathologists Take Images to the Cloud
CEO SUMMARY: Scaled-up operations, streamlined logistics, and potential cybersecurity benefits all present a valid argument for pathology practices to move their data to the cloud. Digital pathology in particular stands to gain from a cloud-based setup that allows remote v…
Pathology Journals Not Immune to Questionable Studies
As we recently reported, scientific fraud is more prevalent than many people in the science community would like to admit. The “publish or perish” mindset in academia has led to a proliferation of questionable and even fabricated papers in peer-reviewed journ…
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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