| R. Lewis Dark:
A New Look and New Services for THE DARK REPORT
YOU'VE PROBABLY ALREADY NOTICED that this issue of THE DARK REPORT sports a new look! We took advantage of the New Year to deliver a fresh, new appearance to THE DARK REPORT while preserving all that's unique and most valued by our long-time clients and regular readers.
Refinements to our established format are designed to make it easier and faster for you to see the information you want. Just as our editorial style has achieved a recognition for clarity and ease of reading, so also do we want the overall appearance of this publication to improve the value you gain from each issue.
This is another step in our ongoing effort to bring you the most relevant and most useful business intelligence and analysis in the laboratory industry. That was the motivation behind the launch of www.darkdaily.com in September. Our daily e-briefings have not only proved to be a big hit, but the ability of DARK
Daily readers to immediately e-mail comments back to us has opened a new
opportunity to report news and breaking events almost as fast as they occur.
For those of you who haven't looked at www.darkdaily.com yet, it's time that you
did. Each DARK Daily e-briefing is a short, quick-to-read analysis about important
developments in the laboratory industry. It's already caused a stir and raised the
competitive bar within the lab industry. Take a moment and sign up today.When
you do, you'll be pleasantly surprised to learn that DARK Daily comes directly to
your desktop at no charge! It’s free!
What other improvements are ahead for THE DARK REPORT this year? I can't
let all our cats out of the bag, but I can reveal that the 12th Annual Executive
War College on Lab and Pathology Management, scheduled for May 10-11, 2007
in Miami, Florida, will have some notable additions. Both first-timers and regular
attendees will get extra value from the new features at this year's program.
Also, stay tuned for an announcement in a month or so about another new
service from THE DARK REPORT. It will be launched in the fall and is designed to
support one of the most important management strategies to hit the laboratory
industry in the past four decades. Finally, thank you for all your support during
the years. Be assured that we are working hard to help you keep your laboratory
at the peak of success!
Key Trends Drive Change For Clinical Laboratories
Healthcare trends and industry trends are putting pressure on laboratories to change
CEO SUMMARY: Technology plays an ever-growing role in
reshaping the organization and operation of clinical laboratories.
New technologies figure prominently in THE DARK REPORT'S
2007 list of key trends in the clinical laboratory industry.
Technological advances in instrument systems, informatics,
and molecular diagnostics are giving laboratories new tools to
improve clinical services and streamline lab operations.
Lab Industry Macro Trends:
Lean and Six Sigma Methods
Set Deepening Roots in Labs
Resurgence of Local Labs-
But Most Are Owned by Hospitals
Growing Use of EMRs by Docs
Requires Response by Labs
High-Deductible Health Plans
Continue to Gain Enrollment
Emphasis on Outcomes Seen
In Lab Accreditation Programs
Provider "Pay for Performance"
Is Now AGiven in the U.S.
Skilled Labor Crises Looms
For Clinical Laboratory Industry
More Automation In Labs,
Including Histology Solutions
Fewer LIS Upgrades Because
Labs Opt for "Middleware"
Steady Increase in Number
Of Specialized Testing Labs
Genetic and Molecular Tests
To Further Integrate Lab & Path
Lab Competitive Bid Project
Is ANew Medicare Threat
Real-Time QA/QC and Active
Search for Lab Best Practices
Evolution in Lab Instruments
Will Soon Give Labs New Tools
INTELLIGENCE: Late & Latent
AMAZING REDUCTION
IN ONE CATEGORY OF
NOSCOMIAL INFECTIONS MORE ON: Wireless
Growth | 
