By Joseph Burns, from the Volume XIX No. 4 - March 12, 2012 issue
CEO SUMMARY: When the New York State Department of Health closed the laboratory at 173-bed Peninsula Hospital Center in New York City on February 23, it became national news. State inspectors issued a nine-page list of deficiencies in the lab, including problems that could affect patient safety. The result of the order was that all
By Robert Michel, from the Volume XVIII No. 12 - September 6, 2011 issue
CEO SUMMARY: In Manassas, Virginia, a five-physician gastroenterology group is using its in-clinic anatomic pathology laboratory to advance patient care, while boosting revenue associated with this ancillary service. In this exclusive interview, the group’s physician business leader shares the different ways that this in-house pathology service benefits both patients and physicians. Patients like the faster
By Robert Michel, from the Volume XVI No. 1 - January 12, 2009 issue
CEO SUMMARY: With new Congressional authorization and funding of $48 billion, PEPFAR II—a second five-year initiative to help targeted countries battle HIV, AIDs, tuberculosis, and malaria—is about to get under way. To better support diagnosis and management of HIV/AIDs patients, some PEPFAR funds are designated to expand laboratory testing services in countries with high prevalence
By Robert Michel, from the Volume XVI No. 1 - January 12, 2009 issue
CEO SUMMARY: What does a lab do when it discovers that it has reported inaccurate test results? In 2004, a turnaround team arrived at the laboratory of Maryland General Hospital in Baltimore to deal with the consequences of a failed infectious disease testing program. For about two years, the lab had reported inaccurate HCV and
By Robert Michel, from the Volume XV No. 6 - May 5, 2008 issue
CEO SUMMARY: It is always challenging to ensure consistency and high productivity across the different labs in a consolidated lab organization. To help staff focus on quality and efficiency, Alverno Clinical Laboratories LLC uses Lean methods to improve quality and timely delivery of lab results in its regional core laboratory and the labs in the
By Robert Michel, from the Volume XIV No. 18 - December 31, 2007 issue
CEO SUMMARY: One experienced expert in billing and coding was surprised at the list of 303 tests to be included in the Medicare Laboratory Competitive Bidding Demonstration Project. He notes that the list of 303 tests includes a number of codes and descriptions that are not consistent with CPT codes used by laboratories to prepare
By Robert Michel, from the Volume XIII No. 6 - May 1, 2006 issue
Lots of news unfolding across the lab industry. Here’s a round-up of recent and noteworthy items:
NEW VENTURES
• Persistent rumors indicate that a new national anatomic pathology company is in formation. Likely to be involved is James New, former CEO of AmeriPath, Inc. during its formative years and through that company’s sale to Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe in early 2003. (See
By Robert Michel, from the Volume XIII No. 4 - March 20, 2006 issue
On March 13, 2006, American Esoteric Laboratories, Inc. (AEL) of Brentwood, Tennessee announced the acquisition of Physicians Medical Laboratory (PML). Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Located in Morristown, Tennessee, PML gives AEL a presence in east Tennessee. AEL has owned and operated Memphis Pathology Laboratory in west Tennessee since 2004.
VIRUS DISCOVERED IN SOME
By Robert Michel, from the Volume VIII No. 11 - August 13, 2001 issue
IT’S A BUSINESS STRATEGY BUILT AROUND “go where they ain’t!” In recent years, Dynacare, Inc. has found its best growth comes from acquiring laboratories in areas somewhat underserved by larger national competitors.
It then uses that regional base to expand outward into nearby regions. Examples of this market strategy have been Seattle, with expansion into the
By Robert Michel, from the Volume IV No. 16 - November 17, 1997 issue
CEO SUMMARY: Tenet Healthcare’s decision to entertain proposals for improving laboratory operations in its Southern California division triggered a year-long discussion with national laboratories. If a deal results, it would represent one of the largest “re-engineering” projects between a hospital company and a national laboratory.
GRAPEVINE BUZZ in Southern California says that SmithKline Beecham Clinical Laboratories
