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Pathology group
A pathology group is an organization of clinical pathologists working on the diagnosis of disease based on laboratory analysis of bodily fluids such as blood and urine, as well as tissues, using the tools of chemistry, clinical microbiology, hematology and molecular pathology. Clinical pathologists work in close collaboration with medical technologists, hospital administrations, and referring physicians.
The business model of a pathology group has traditionally been as a private group practice, including solo practitioner, medical group partnership, professional corporation (PC), limited liability company (LLC), and similar professional business organizations. It is common for pathology groups to have contracts with one or more hospitals to provide anatomic pathology professional services and clinical pathology professional services.
Pathology itself is a significant component of the causal study of disease and a major field in modern medicine and diagnosis. The term pathology may be used broadly to refer to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of bioscience research fields and medical practices, or more narrowly to describe work within the contemporary medical field of “general pathology,” which includes a number of distinct but inter-related medical specialties which diagnose disease mostly through the analysis of tissue, cell, and body fluid samples.
Pathologists in hospital labs and pathology groups practice as consultant physicians, developing and applying knowledge of tissue and laboratory analyses to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of individual patients. As scientists, they use the tools of laboratory science in clinical studies, disease models, and other experimental systems, to advance the understanding and treatment of disease.
Clinical pathologists in a pathology group administer a number of visual and microscopic tests and an especially large variety of tests of the biophysical properties of tissue samples involving automated analyzers and cultures. Sometimes the general term “laboratory medicine specialist” is used to refer to those working in clinical pathology, including medical doctors, PhDs and doctors of pharmacology.
Immunopathology, the study of an organism’s immune response to infection, is sometimes considered to fall within the domain of clinical pathology.
Becoming a pathologist entails one of the lengthiest education and training tracks of all physicians. Requirements include four years of undergraduate study, plus four years of medical school, plus a minimum of four to five years of post-graduate training in pathology residency.
NeoGenomics to Acquire Clarient for $275 Million
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…
Will 2016 Bring Opportunity or Tribulations for Labs?
WE ARE JUST ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS FROM THE ADVENT OF 2016. Given the rapid transformation of healthcare that continues to unfold, it is timely to assess how clinical labs and pathology groups are likely to fare during the coming year. On the plus side, the ongoing evolution toward integration of clinica…
New Developments in $1 Billion Lab Fraud Case
CEO SUMMARY: Court documents filed last month in the federal qui tam case against Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Singulex, Berkeley Heart Lab, BlueWave Healthcare Consultants, and several lab executives allege that the defendants used illegal inducements and kickbacks to file false c…
More AP Consolidation: Aurora Buys Two Groups
CEO SUMMARY: Seeing the changes overtaking pathology practices, Brazos Valley Pathology decided to sell two of its group practices to Aurora Diagnostics. Last month’s transaction was not designed to fix financial problems nor was it because of retiring pathologists. Rather, it …
Cigna Audits Tox Test Labs For Proof that Patients Paid
CEO SUMMARY: In an unusually strong move, health insurer Cigna is auditing laboratories, including some labs that do toxicology testing. In these audits, the health insurer seeks documentation that the testing is medically necessary and that the laboratories are collecting copaym…
New company ready to heat up slow digital pathology market
IN THE 2000S, DIGITAL PATHOLOGY WAS THE HOT NEW TECHNOLOGY that held great potential to transform anatomic pathology in myriad ways, not the least of which was an essential tool to streamline pathologist workflow while suppor…
How Price Transparency Increased Lab’s Revenue
CEO SUMMARY: In California, a gene testing firm is increasing satisfaction among patients and physicians with a tool that provides patients with an estimate of the anticipated cost—before the physician orders a test! By providing transparency about the cost of tests upfront, Co…
Collecting Big Patient Deductibles
THERE HAS BEEN EXPLOSIVE GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS enrolled in high-deductible health plans. Currently, more than 20 million people have HDHPs. This is one reason why many labs are experiencing high levels of patient bad debt never before seen by the lab industry during the past three decades….
Investment Bank Bullish On Clinical Labs, Pathology
CEO SUMMARY: For clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups willing to adapt to the evolving needs of the American healthcare system, there are many positive opportunities. That’s the view of a Wall Street investment bank that just published a report on the lab testing…
New Company Ready to Heat Up Slow Digital Pathology Market
CEO SUMMARY: There’s a new competitor in the digital pathology marketplace with ambitious plans to deliver a fully-integrated pathologist workflow solution. Inspirata, Inc., of Tampa, Florida, made its debut in March at an international pathology conference. In this exclusive i…
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