TAG:
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.
Florida Doctor Questions Lab Test Pre-notification
CEO SUMMARY: An interesting tug-of-war may develop in Florida between a major health insurer and physicians. UnitedHealthcare will require physicians to obtain a pre-notification number for 81 lab tests by using the BeaconLBS system (developed by a subsidiary of LabCorp). One family pract…
Longer Pay Cycle for Labs, Plus Lower Collection Rate
CEO SUMMARY: Across the United States, clinical labs, histology labs, and pathology groups are experiencing both a much longer payment cycle for claims and a decreased gross collection rate. Blame can be placed on several trends. One trend is the steady increase in the number of patients …
Incyte to Develop New Ways For Pathologists to Add Value
CONSOLIDATION OF PRIVATE PRACTICE PATHOLOGY GROUPS in Washington State has been ongoing. Because of their acquisitions, CellNetix and Incyte Diagnostics are now the state’s two largest pathology groups. The next challenge for these two pathology super-groups will …
August 11, 2014 “Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”
There is a new case of crime involving a private pathology group practice. In Stockton, California, the Stockton Record reported on August 9 that pathologist Elvira Milano, M.D., was expected to post bond and be released from jail on that date. She faces charges of embezzlement while serving…
NorDx CEO Shares Five Rules Critical to every Lab’s Success
CEO SUMMARY: To meet the financial challenges of healthcare today, clinical labs and pathology groups can follow the five classic lab rules of success. However, as noted by Stan Schofield, CEO of NorDx Laboratories in Scarborough, Maine, the “old school” methods need …
When Competing Hospitals Come Together
MANY ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY GROUPS that have enjoyed contracts with one or more hospitals for decades now find those relationships challenged or disturbed by the spate of mergers and acquisitions happening with hospitals and health systems. This trend will carry forward for several more years. At least …
July 21, 2014 “Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News”
Consolidation of private pathology group practices continues. On July 8, NeoGenomics of Fort Myers, Florida, announced that it had acquired Path Logic of Sacramento. Then, one day later, Incyte Diagnostics of Spokane, Washington, disclosed that it wa…
At Mid-Year, Labs Struggle to Get Paid for Many Tests
CEO SUMMARY: At a recent coding and billing conference, pathology and lab clients of one of the nation’s largest revenue management companies agreed that three trends have caused lower revenues since the start of 2014. One trend seen by labs involves higher deductibles and copayments fr…
Dealing with Realities of Changing Market
CEO SUMMARY: Swift transformation of the American healthcare system is causing financial challenges for those clinical labs and pathology groups that have been slow to react to these developments. At NorDx Laboratories in Scarborough, Maine, the team is following the classic five rules fo…
Test Utilization Targeted by UnitedHealth, LabCorp
CEO SUMMARY: Many independent laboratories serving patients in Florida are unhappy about the decision by UnitedHealth (UNH) to initiate a pilot program that calls for LabCorp’s BeaconLBS subsidiary to handle prior authorization for certain lab tests. UNH’s laboratory benefit managemen…
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.
See the full table of contentsHow Much Laboratory Business Intelligence Have You Missed?
Lab leaders rely on THE DARK REPORT for actionable intelligence on important developments in the business of laboratory testing. Maximize the money you make-and the money you keep! Best of all, it is released every three weeks!
Sign up for TDR Insider
Join the Dark Intelligence Group FREE and get TDR Insider FREE!
Never miss a single update on the issues that matter to you and your business.