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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.
Quest Sells OralDNA, HemoCue To Clear Its Decks for 2013
THIS WEEK, Quest Diagnostics Incorporated will issue its fourth quarter and full year 2012 financial report. In anticipation of this, the nation’s largest lab company has been cleaning out its closets, so to speak. With its new CEO finishing out his first eight months of service, …
Anticipating 2013 Trends in Clinical Lab and Pathology
CEO SUMMARY: Biggest news for 2013 will the impact of significant price cuts for both clinical lab and anatomic pathology testing services. But the bad news doesn’t stop there. Employers and private payers will be more aggressive in taking steps to reduce what they spend on lab testing….
Pathology Labs Want Method To Correct Specimen ID Errors
CEO SUMMARY: When pathology labs discover instances of a misidentified or contaminated tissue specimen, there is a new service that allows them to retrospectively use DNA to properly match that specimen to the correct patient. In part two of our series, we look at how some pathology labs …
Ascend Clinical Acquires PathCentral Lab Business
CEO SUMMARY: Ascend Clinical and PathCentral see an opportunity to provide sophisticated services to community pathology groups. Ascend Clinical will expand the molecular diagnostic and gene sequencing business it is purchasing from PathCentral. PathCentral will concentrate on marketing i…
Price Cuts, Long Delays in Payment Are Expected
CEO SUMMARY: In addition to a steep cut in the 88305 CPT code, anatomic pathology laboratories can expect cuts in the payment from Medicare for molecular and prostate biopsy testing. Two national experts in lab billing and reimbursement warn labs to expect confusion in how both public and…
2012’s Top Ten Lab Stories Predict More Challenges
CEO SUMMARY: It’s been a year with more lows than highs, when viewed through the lens of THE DARK REPORT’S “Top Ten Lab Stories of 2012.” The end of the TC grandfather clause, new policies for prostate biopsy billing, and a dramatic 52% cut to 88305- TC fees were widely reported. …
RDX Alters Business Plan Due to Lab Market Changes
CEO SUMMARY: Executives at Regional Diagnostic Laboratories (RDX) made a splash last May when they announced the new company’s plans to acquire hospital laboratory outreach programs, backed by a capital commitment of $250 million. Now, in recognition of swift changes in the lab test mar…
New Business Helps Reduce Pathology Specimen ID Errors
CEO SUMMARY: Prevention of diagnostic testing errors is getting more attention by both physicians and pathology labs because patients are less tolerant of potentially life-changing errors. Strand Diagnostics’ Know Error system is designed to reduce or eliminate errors involving tissue s…
Four California Labs Sue Quest and Three Insurers
CEO SUMMARY: Allegations of anticompetitive and monopolistic behaviors that violate state and federal laws are the basis of a private lawsuit filed by four independent clinical lab companies in California. The defendants are Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, Aetna, Blue Shield of California…
Of 88305-TC and Other Bad News for Pathology Labs
BY NOW, VIRTUALLY ALL PATHOLOGISTS ARE AWARE of the announced cut in Medicare reimbursement for the technical component (TC) of CPT 88305. Effective on January 1, 2012, Medicare will pay 52% less for this CPT code. From the prior level of $69.78, the new reimbursement will be $33.70. As news of this…
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Volume XXXII, No. 6 – April 21, 2025
Now that a federal judge has vacated the FDA’s LDT rule, The Dark Report analyzes the judgement and notes the various steps the FDA could take in response. Also, lab testing at pharmacies is proving to be less successful than was once anticipated.
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