By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXVI No. 1 – January 14, 2019 issue
LAST MONTH the American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA) filed an appeal in its case against the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In its court filing, the ACLA said that a federal district court judge erred in her ruling against the lab association.
The district court misinterpreted the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of
By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXVI No. 1 – January 14, 2019 issue
CEO SUMMARY: In Toledo, Ohio, ProMedica Laboratories uses extensive metrics to analyze almost all processes in the lab. Under a process improvement program in place for more than five years, the lab has implemented daily management to help streamline day-to-day operations. Concurrently, a newly-formed cross-functional test utilization team adopted recommendations from the Choosing Wisely campaign
By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXV No. 16 – November 13, 2018 issue
CEO SUMMARY: On Nov. 2, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released its Physician Fee Schedule for 2019. It says it will expand the number of labs from which it collects data about the lab test prices paid by private health insurers. While some labs may welcome these changes, groups representing clinical laboratories
CEO SUMMARY: Two trends are driving a movement to standardize laboratory operations across large regions: the integration of clinical care and the need for hospitals and health networks to continuously improve patient outcomes. THE DARK REPORT outlines an ambitious program in Michigan, where Ascension Health is working to align itself with an integrated health system
By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXV No. 13 – September 10, 2018 issue
CEO SUMMARY: Two trends are driving a movement to standardize laboratory operations across large regions: the integration of clinical care and the need for hospitals and health networks to improve patient outcomes continuously. In Michigan, Ascension Health is an example of a lab team working to standardize lab testing activities among seven organizations, 14 hospitals,
By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXV No. 12 – August 20, 2018 issue
CEO SUMMARY: Fast-growing ProMedica Health System of Toledo, Ohio, agreed to a laboratory joint venture with Sonic Healthcare USA. As lab budgets and prices for lab tests are squeezed downward, ProMedica sees opportunity to add volume to this new core lab facility to improve efficiency and reduce costs per test. At the same time, it
By maryv
CEO SUMMARY: Publication of the draft CMS Physician Fee Schedule on July 12 brought unwelcome news for the clinical lab industry, at least as it pertains to that perennial question: Should hospital lab outreach data be included in a PAMA market study? The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services must conduct a new market
By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXV No. 11 – July 30, 2018 issue
CEO SUMMARY: Publication of the draft Medicare Physician Fee Schedule on July 12 brought unwelcome news for the clinical lab industry, at least as it pertains to whether hospital lab outreach data should be included in the PAMA market study that the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services must conduct. In the draft rule,
By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXV No. 9 – June 18, 2018 issue
CEO SUMMARY: Despite the challenges hospital and health system laboratory outreach programs face today, there are many ways they can remain viable, according to an outreach expert from Mayo Medical Laboratories. By taking specific steps to increase volume and the value they provide, lab outreach programs can keep their costs down while bringing in more
By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XXV No. 6 – April 16, 2018 issue
CEO SUMMARY: Several developments have moved the case forward since December when the American Clinical Laboratory Association filed suit in federal court against the Department of Health and Human Services. Inrecent weeks, ACLA filed for summary judgment; HHS responded with its own request for summary judgment; and most recently ACLA filed its rebuttal to the
