Turf wars are breaking out among local pathology groups as consolidation involving hospitals and physicians’ practices continues to reshape many regional healthcare markets. The latest sign of this trend comes from Washington State, where CellNetix of Seattle announced an agreement to provide anatomic pathology and molecular diagnostic services to Rockwood Health Services of Spokane. This puts CellNetix, with 50 pathologists, right in the backyard of Spokane-based Incyte Diagnostics and its 44 pathologists. Rockwood Health Systems includes 307bed Deaconess Hospital, 123-bed Valley Hospital, the Rockwood Clinic and affiliated medical groups and providers.
More on: Pathology Consolidation
In another pathology transaction that represents ongoing consolidation within the anatomic pathology profession, Summit Pathology (with 11 pathologists) of Loveland, Colorado, will acquire AnaPath Diagnostics Inc. (currently with three pathologists), of Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The acquisition will broaden the geographical reach of Summit Pathology and is typical of smaller pathology group practice mergers that happen quietly and with little public notice.
Sonic Acquires Big Swiss Lab
Sonic Healthcare Ltd., of Sydney, Australia, has agreed to pay US$300 million to buy MediSupport SA of Morges, Switzerland. When closed, the purchase will make Sonic the largest lab company in Switzerland. MediSupport employs 700 people and operates facilities in 10 Swiss cities. It is a major provider of genetic tests and gene sequencing services.
Transitions
- Baylor Miraca Genetics Laboratories, LLC, of Dallas, Texas, announced that Gary Huff will be its new President and CEO. Huff has held executive positions at Solstas Lab Partners, Affinity Solutions International, Inc., and Laboratory Corporation of America.
- Barbara Blasutta will retire on July 3 from her position as Vice President, Operations, Hospital Laboratories at Laboratory Sciences of Arizona and Sonora Quest Laboratories, based in Phoenix, Arizona. Blasetta started at Sonora Laboratory Servicesin 1992.
Dark Daily Update
Have you caught the latest e-briefings from DARK Daily? If so, then you’d know about…
…the findings in Medscape‘s “Physician Compensation Report for 2015.” For pathologists, average compensation of $267,000 in 2015 ranked them below the average of $282,000 for the 25 specialties included in the survey.
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That’s all the insider intelligence for this report. Look for the next briefing on Monday, July 13, 2015.
