Paths of Hospital Labs, Independent Labs Diverge

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XXIV No. 16 – November 20, 2017 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: With each passing year, the primary role of hospital and health system labs evolves in a different direction than that of independent lab companies. This trend is a response to the creation of integrated delivery networks paid on value and how they are scored on their ability…

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NeoGenomics to Acquire Clarient for $275 Million

By Joseph Burns | From the Volume XXII No. 15 – October 26, 2015 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: In a surprise move that further consolidates national anatomic pathology services, NeoGenomics will acquire Clarient Inc., from General Electric Healthcare. General Electric is getting cash, and preferred and common stock. The two companies announced plans to pursue integrate…

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Hospitals Recognize Need for Uniform Lab Test Data

By Joseph Burns | From the Volume XX No. 12 – September 9, 2013 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: Hospitals may soon insist that payers allow their in-house labs to provide outpatient testing regardless of exclusive managed care contracts with national lab companies. The migration to accountable care organizations (ACOs) and medical homes makes it essential that physician…

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February 11, 2013 “Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XX No. 2 February 11, 2013 Issue

Would it surprise you to learn that just five organizations control 91% of California’s health insurance market? At the top of the list is Kaiser Permanente, which holds a 40% share of the California market. Following, in order, were Anthem Blue Cross (23%), …

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Payer Trend in New Hampshire Is to Engage Lab Patients

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XIX No. 5 – April 2, 2012 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: A health insurer’s two-year-old effort to have patients choose low-cost laboratory testing options is causing patients to shift their lab work away from New Hampshire’s hospitals and instead use Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp, and ConVerge (a commercial lab company). This new…

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Using Accurate Data to Grow Lab Outreach

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XVIII No. 13 – September 26, 2011 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: In recent years, the laboratory outreach program at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, has achieved impressive rates of growth in specimen volume and net revenue. One reason for this success is that the lab outreach program moni…

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Piedmont Med Lab Mixes ISO with Lean & Six Sigma

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XV No. 12 – September 8, 2008 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: Piedmont Medical Laboratory (PML) could be the only clinical laboratory ever to pursue three quality improvement initiatives simultaneously. Even as it was in the early stages of implementing both Lean and Six Sigma methods, PML also decided to seek ISO 15189:2007 accreditati…

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LabCorp Exec Discusses Reasons Behind Its 10-Year Pact with United

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XIII No. 14 – October 16, 2006 Issue

“This 10-year agreement is unique in the laboratory industry. It speaks to the long-term commitment of both parties.”—Brad Smith, Executive Vice President, Laboratory Corporation of America CEO SUMMARY: It was unprecedented when UnitedHealth …

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Three Ex-UroCor Execs Acquitted in Jury Trial

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XIII No. 10 – July 24, 2006 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: On June 30, 2006,three former executives of UroCor,Inc.,accused by the U.S. Attorney of anti-kickback and securities violations, stood and heard the jury verdict in their case. “Not guilty on all counts,” stated the jury foreman. Thus ended the effort to convict former ex…

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Payer Consolidation: WellPoint Buys into NYC

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XII No. 15 – October 24, 2005 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: Acquisition by acquisition, the health insurance industry is consolidating. Wellpoint, Inc., already the nation’s largest health insurer at 28 million members, is acquiring WellChoice, Inc. and adding another 5 million members to its total. One consequence of this consolida…

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