TAG:
biopsies
Ottawa Pathology Lab Cuts Turnaround Time By More Than 50%
CEO Summary: Pathologists at Ottawa Hospital not only must handle a large volume of specimens regularly, but are experiencing a 14% per year growth in the number of specimens. Last year, when the average turnaround time for a case was nine days, the pathology department embarked …
Urologists Weigh in on Prostate Biopsy Testing
CEO SUMMARY: Based on an impressive number of 4,230,129 vials collected from 437,937 biopsies, the new study is expected to add fuel to the fire of the ongoing debate about the appropriate number of prostate biopsies physicians should collect and refer to pathology labs for cancer testing…
Palmetto’s Prostate Biopsy Policy Removed after Talks with CMS
THERE IS SOME POSITIVE LAB INDUSTRY NEWS that has not been widely reported yet. It involves a decision to change an unwelcome Medicare policy that limited the number of prostate biopsy specimens per case that would be reimbursed. After discussions between lab industry groups and the federal …
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 …
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. …
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…
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…
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…
OURLab Founder Lays Out New Business Strategy
CEO SUMMARY: For OURLabs of Nashville, Tennessee, it was the host of changes in the lab testing marketplace that motivated it to go looking for a partner. Its recently-announced merger with OPKO Health, Inc., of Miami, Florida, creates opportunities for OURLab pathologists to do more in t…
Louisiana Pathologists ‘Moonlight’ as Consultants
CEO SUMMARY: Few independent pathology groups have developed robust laboratory consulting businesses. But adopting that strategy has brought important benefits to Delta Pathology Group, LLC, of Shreveport, Louisiana. Not only has providing lab consulting services to cash-strapped hospital…
CURRENT ISSUE
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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