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Anatomic pathology
Anatomic pathology is about diagnosing disease through the examination of organs and tissue samples by using a microscope, or through molecular, biochemical or immunological means.
It differs from clinical pathology, where diseases are diagnosed through analyzing bodily fluids in a lab.
In anatomic pathology, a physician trained in pathology examines surgical specimens (e.g., from a biopsy). This contrasts from clinical pathology, where blood, throat cultures, and urine as sent to a lab for analysis to determine whether a patient either has or is at risk for several biological diseases.
The American Board of Pathology is one of the primary certification organizations for anatomic pathologists. To be certified in anatomic pathology, a physician must complete four years of medical school and three years of residency. To be certified in both anatomic and clinical pathology, a physician must do four years of residency.
Anatomic pathologists typically work in hospitals, and pathology in general is most times practiced in hospitals and academic medical centers, where research is being conducted.
Labs, AP Groups Confused about UnitedHealthcare’s Test Registry
CONFUSION CONTINUES among clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups about how they should comply with UnitedHealthcare’s new Laboratory Test Registry Program. The program goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2021, but labs and pathology groups must register all tests and testing procedure…
UnitedHealth Sets More Billing Rules for Labs, Pathologists
SUBMITTING CLINICAL LABORATORY AND PATHOLOGY TEST CLAIMS to UnitedHealthcare (UHC) will be more complex after the nation’s largest health insurer announced three significant changes in its claims processing procedures. The three changes involve: • Requests for refunds from anatomic pa…
Specimen Volume Returns at Dallas-based ProPath
CEO SUMMARY: Like other physician specialties, anatomic pathology saw a dramatic collapse in the number of daily procedures with a corresponding decline in cash flow as the COVID-19 pandemic hit with full force in March, April, and May. The good news is that the daily volume of tissue…
Quest Reports 46% Decline in New Cancer Diagnoses in March
ONCE SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDERS WERE ENACTED IN MARCH because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of new diagnoses of cancer declined sharply in the United States. Newly-published data confirms this fact. The data also support the warnings of anatomic pathologists that—because of the pandemi…
Proposed Medicare 2021 PFS Cuts Pathology Fees by 9%
IF THE PROPOSED MEDICARE 2012 PHYSICIAN FEE SCHEDULE (PFS) RULE—published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on Aug. 4—takes effect as currently written, pathology professional fees will be cut by 9%, effective Jan. 1, 2021. This was not…
UHC Ready to Implement New Lab Test Registry
CEO SUMMARY: UnitedHealthcare announced that its new Test-Registry Protocol will become effective on Jan. 1, 2021, creating a major billing hurdle for labs and pathology groups. By that date, a lab must register each type of test before it can submit claims for these tests to the nati…
Globally-Respected Pathologist Juan Rosai, MD, Dies at 79
Internationally-respected pathologist Juan Rosai, MD, died on July 7, at the age of 79, in Milan, Italy. Although born …
Helping Labs with Cash Flow, COVID-19 Response
ROUTINE SPECIMEN VOLUME REMAINS DOWN by 50% or more for clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups in the United States because of the pandemic. Through the end of last week, The Dark Report estimates that labs in the U.S. have lost almost $7 billion since the first week of March…
To Stay Afloat, Dallas AP Group Cut Staff, Payroll
CEO SUMMARY: As early cases of COVID-19 spread in some states, pathologists at the 50-member ProPath group in Dallas prepared for a widespread outbreak by preserving cash and working with bankers and other advisors to apply for federal stimulus funding. Executives also fur…
Companies Saw Big Drop in Lab Revenue from Mid-March
This is an excerpt of a 2,083-word article in the April 20, 2020 issue of THE DARK REPORT (TDR). The full article is available to members of The Dark Intelligence Group. CEO SUMMARY: In response to the coronavirus outbreak, patients stopped seeing their doctors for routine c…
CURRENT ISSUE
Volume XXVII, Number 16 – November 16, 2020
UNWELCOME CHANGES to how labs do business are forcing labs to cope with high demand for COVID-19 testing while dealing with government and private payers interfering with normal operating procedures. Medicare has new requirements and payment rates for COVID-19 tests. Also reported here are UnitedHealthcare’s new Laboratory Test Registry Protocol, and California’s new COVID-19 testing laboratory that is diverting lab instruments, supplies, and test kits away from hospital and independent labs in the state.
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