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R. Lewis Dark:"Frankenstein the Tumor" is No More
HOW MANY OF YOU HEARD ABOUT THE TUMOR NAMED"FRANKENSTEIN"?
This is a story which made national news in mid-January and again in
early February.
The story line is simple. A nine-year old boy in Richmond, Virginia
was diagnosed in May 2003 with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. A
grapefruit-sized tumor was impinging on his optic nerves and carotid
arteries, causing blindness and headaches. The boy named his tumor"Frankenstein," or Frank for short. Chemotherapy and radiation treatments
shrank it to the size of a peach pit, restoring his vision, but there
were serious side-effects. For a while he couldn't walk or eat and had to
be fed through a tube, according to his mother.
Following chemotherapy, the problem was that the boy's parents did
not have the money required to pay for the biopsy necessary to determine
if the remaining tissue in the tumor was malignant. To raise money to pay
for the biopsy procedure, his parents had been auctioning, on E-Bay, a
bumper sticker reading"Frank Must Die." That's how the story came to
the attention of the national media.
Learning of the boy's plight, Hrayr Shahinian, M.D. of the Skull Base
Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California
offered to perform the procedure at no charge. Using a minimally-invasive
technique, the biopsy was conducted on February 2. The surgery
was declared a success and the tissue was sent off for analysis.
As of press time, the family had not received the pathology report. They
have scheduled a press conference for tomorrow, February 15, to announce
the results. The press conference will be conducted at the Willard
International Hotel in Washington, D.C. and Dr. Shahinian will be present to
discuss the findings.
Certainly there are many heartwarming aspects to this story, particularly if
David, the young boy, gets a pathology report which indicates he is cancerfree
at this time. On the other hand, this story exposes gaps in how the
American healthcare system responds to the needs of individuals who lack
adequate financial resources. This tale also draws attention to the time
required after the biopsy procedure before test results and the pathology diagnosis
can be provided to the patient, his physician, and his parents. TDR
Five Lab Acquisitions Over the Past Ten Weeks
Smaller lab companies continue
to be gobbled up by purchasers
CEO SUMMARY: Many lab executives and pathologists will
be surprised to learn that five independent laboratory companies
were acquired between December 1, 2004 and
February 11, 2005. Only one acquisition was announced to
the public. The other four were private sales and both buyers
and sellers preferred to avoid any publicity associated
with these acquisitions.
Review of 2004 Lab Sales Identifies Buyer Interest
There are new buyers for laboratories, but
only if the selling lab meets certain criteria
CEO SUMMARY: Laboratory acquisition activity was surprisingly
high during 2004. One reason is that new buyers
appeared in the marketplace. However, all buyers have specific
acquisition criteria. When a selling lab meets that criteria,
it can expect multiple bidders and a strong purchase
price. Here's a review of 2004's lab acquisition activity, with
commentary about which types of labs are in high demand.
Barristers Offer Insights
Into OIG Opinion 04-17
There's more compliance guidance to come
on the subject of physician self-referrals
CEO SUMMARY: This is an intelligence briefing which tries
to"read between the lines" and: 1) provide useful information
about the OIG's"undeclared" views on physician self referral
issues, particularly as they relate to anatomic
pathology condominiums; and, 2) how specialist physician
groups and pathologists are reacting to such issues in the
real world of the healthcare marketplace.
Doctor"Pay to Perform"
Launched by Medicare
Laboratory testing plays a key role
in guidelines measuring outcomes
CEO SUMMARY: Medicare's just-announced physician"pay-for-performance" program will be a positive development
for laboratories and pathologists. One consequence is
that physicians will be measured on how effectively they
use recommended lab tests in certain areas of care. This
will give physicians a motive to work with laboratories
which offer added-value lab testing services.
Cytology Diagnostics: Evolution in Pap Marketplace
Shows Impact of New Guidelines
Sales of Digene's HPV test grow rapidly,
direct-to-consumer ads will start in March
Lab Briefs: RFID, Georgetown University Hospital,
HIV Screening Studies, MDS, Duke, HCA, Cigna
INTELLIGENCE:
PATHOLOGY ERRORS
ATTRACT NOTICE OF
WALL STREET JOURNAL
ADD TO: Pathology Errors
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