By Robert Michel, from the Volume XXIV, No. 17 – December 11, 2017 issue
To deal with a shortage of surgical pathologists in the United Kingdom, the British National Health Service (NHS) is looking at solutions, such as deployment of digital pathology systems. According to a story in Pharma Times, the NHS is negotiating with Roche Diagnostics and partners to develop a program to implement digital pathology systems across the
By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXIV, No. 3 – February 21, 2017 issue
CEO SUMMARY: At the University of Michigan Medical Center, the Department of Pathology is learning new ways to add value that include face-to-face meetings with patients as part of UMMC’s patient- and family-centered care initiative. One lesson learned is that patients appreciate the opportunity to get a better understanding of the results from both anatomic
By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXIII No. 17 – December 19, 2016 issue
CEO SUMMARY: In launching BeaconLBS in Texas, UnitedHealthcare included a new, more onerous twist than it used for BeaconLBS in Florida. To be a BeaconLBS in-network ‘lab of choice,’ a lab must be in the lowest quartile for lab test prices. Any lab above the 25th percentile would have to renegotiate its contract with UHC
By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXIII No. 11 – August 15, 2016 issue
CEO SUMMARY: For 10 years, three primary trends have reshaped the anatomic pathology profession. They are declining reimbursement, competition from physicians establishing in-office pathology labs, and a host of new government laws and regulations. More changes are coming, predicts one business expert in pathology. Those changes involve new Medicare payment models, along with opportunities for
By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXII NO. 11 - August 3, 2015 issue
CEO SUMMARY: For clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups willing to adapt to the evolving needs of the American healthcare system, there are many positive opportunities. That’s the view of a Wall Street investment bank that just published a report on the lab testing sector. The report on healthcare trends includes commentary about developments in cancer care, acceptance of personalized medicine, and the growing activity in direct-to-consumer lab testing.
By Robert Michel, from the Volume XXII NO. 11 - August 3, 2015 issue
CEO SUMMARY: There’s a new competitor in the digital pathology marketplace with ambitious plans to deliver a fully-integrated pathologist workflow solution. Inspirata, Inc., of Tampa, Florida, made its debut in March at an international pathology conference. In this exclusive interview, Inspirata Chairman and CEO Satish K. Sanan explains his company’s strategic vision for digital pathology, along with the details of how Inspirata intends to overcome digital pathology’s return-on-investment challenge.
By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXII NO. 8 - June 1, 2015 issue
CEO SUMMARY: Some physicians in Florida are not complying with UnitedHealthcare’s laboratory benefit management program since the claims impact took effect on April 15. Although officials from UnitedHealthcare and BeaconLBS, a business division of LabCorp, state publicly that the program is going well, physicians and several state medical associations continue to voice serious objections to several key elements of UnitedHealthcare’s lab test utilization management program.
By R. Lewis Dark, from the Volume XXII NO. 5 - March 30, 2015 issue
ACO Table ALL ANATOMIC PATHOLOGISTS WONDERING ABOUT THEIR PLACE in a healthcare system dominated by accountable care organizations (ACOs) and similar models of integrated clinical care may find useful insights from the experience of a six-partner pathology group in Wisconsin as it established itself as a contributor in one of the state’s largest integrated care networks.
By Robert Michel, from the Volume XXII NO. 4 - March 9, 2015 issue
APRIL 15 IS THE DATE when UnitedHealthcare will begin denying laboratory claims in Florida that do not meet the requirements of its unpopular laboratory benefit management program.
By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXII NO. 1 - January 5, 2015 issue
CEO SUMMARY: In a letter to UnitedHealthcare, the Florida Society of Pathologists says UHC’s pilot laboratory management program will have a negative effect on patient care by delaying access to care and timely diagnoses of disease. Signed by more than 120 members of the society, the letter lays out inconsistencies in the requirements of UHC’s pilot program that Florida physicians must follow to obtain pre-notification or pre-authorization for more than 80 clinical laboratory tests.
