Converting Paper Requisitions to Digital Cut Lab’s Costs

By Joseph Burns

CEO SUMMARY: Health Network Laboratories cut costs and shortened lab test turnaround time by converting paper requisitions to digital data. It did so by scanning paper requisitions and having a vendor do the required data entry. This helped the lab reduce errors in its patient data. Using…

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How Labs Can Add Value for Providers, Insurers, Pharma

By Joseph Burns | From the Volume XXVI No. 15 – November 4, 2019 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: For pathologists and clinical, molecular, and genetic testing labs, appropriate reuses of lab data can provide a new source of revenue. Labs that serve as preferred providers of diagnostic testing data can help health systems, ordering physicians, pharmaceutical companies, an…

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July 1, 2019 Intelligence: Late Breaking Lab News

By Robert Michel | From the Volume XXVI No. 9 – July 1, 2019 Issue

In Houston, news outlets report that MD Anderson Cancer Center was cited for serious deficiencies and the potential for patient harm, following inspections by officials from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Texas Department…

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Pap Test Errors in Ireland Attributed to Quest, CPL

By Joseph Burns | From the Volume XXV No. 10 – July 9, 2018 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: In Ireland, the big story in healthcare at the moment is the discovery that the nation’s cervical cancer screening program has failed hundreds of women who had pre-cancerous conditions or cervical cancer, but, as alleged in numerous court cases, their tests were inaccurate …

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Near Real-time Data Helps Lab Save $500K Annually

By Joseph Burns | From the Volume XXV No. 8 – May 29, 2018 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: After hospital labs and pathology groups implement Lean and process improvement methods to harvest the easiest cost savings and boost quality, they often take the next step of introducing real-time analytics systems. Access to detailed data about workflows, productivity, and …

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FDA Clears Waived CBC For Near-Patient Testing

By R. Lewis Dark | From the Volume XXIV No. 16 – November 20, 2017 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: Market clearance of the first-ever CLIA-waived analyzer for complete blood count and three-part differential tests could cut time-to-answer from days to mere minutes for one of the top 20 tests by volume performed at core laboratories. Developer Sysmex America, Inc., foresees…

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Theranos, Capital Blue Sign Lab Test Agreement

By Joseph Burns | From the Volume XXII No. 10 – July 13, 2015 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: With each passing month, Theranos is looking more like a traditional clinical laboratory company, based on how it is expanding its patient service center network and courier/logistics system into different regions while pursuing managed care contracts with health ins…

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Meaningful Use Stage 2 Is Problem for EHR Firms

By Joseph Burns | From the Volume XXII No. 2 – January 26, 2015 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: EHR system vendors must now comply with the federal government’s Meaningful Use Stage 2 requirements. Well-established EHR vendors will survive. But smaller EHR companies may struggle to provide the enhancements to their first generation EHR products that are require…

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Lab Serving Large MD Group Manages Quality and Costs

By Joseph Burns | From the Volume XXI NO. 6 – April 28, 2014 Issue

 CEO SUMMARY: For decades, pathologists have pointed out that their expertise in laboratory medicine can be tapped by physicians to improve utilization of lab tests, contribute to improved patient outcomes, and reduce the overall cost of care. Exactly that is now happening at Atrius Heal…

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Eastern Canada’s Latest Lab Errors Get Attention

By Joseph Burns | From the Volume XXI No. 4 – March 17, 2014 Issue

CEO SUMMARY: Authorities for Eastern Health in Newfoundland and Labrador province in Canada are conducting a root cause analysis after finding discrepancies in breast cancer testing that affected nine patients. Health officials said these cases were discovered as a result of an improved q…

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