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R. Lewis Dark: Do Regional Laboratories Have A Bright Future?
IF INTEGRATED INFORMATICS CAPABILITIES will be a major point of differentiation
among competing laboratories in the future, then several warning
flags have recently appeared in the laboratory industry. Regional laboratories
and hospital lab outreach programs should take notice.
One warning flag is the recent announcement by Laboratory Corporation
of America that"eLabCorp," a Web-connectivity system is ready for
market. According to LabCorp, the system is more than a lab test ordering/
lab test resulting product. It also"integrates easily with a wide variety of
existing electronic medical record and practice management systems, allowing
doctors to access the Web for testing services without changing the computer
services they use for the rest of their practice needs."
Another warning flag is a deal just disclosed by Quest Diagnostics
Incorporated in early September that calls for North Texas Specialty
Physicians of Fort Worth, Texas, an IPA with 600 physicians, to use
Quest Diagnostics'"Care360" physician portal. It is a Web-enabled system
that"enables doctors to order diagnostic tests and review laboratory
tests online; prescribe medication at the point of care; view clinical and
administrative information from multiple sources; file documents
received electronically or in hard copy into a health record; and share
confidential patient information with medical colleagues in a manner that
is consistent with HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
Act) privacy and security requirements."
A third warning flag is the success of Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc.
(BRLI) at using enhanced informatics capabilities to build its regional laboratory
business and develop high-value lab testing niches. (See pages 9-15.)
BRLI may be further along in the development of a multi-function informatics
system than any laboratory in the world, at this moment.
The themes of these three warning flags could not be clearer. To gain
competitive advantage, three of the nation's largest lab companies are
investing heavily in information technologies. They all have the same goal:
to make it easier and simpler for physicians to order lab tests, access test
results, and integrate laboratory information in their electronic medical
record systems. Regional labs should take heed and develop their own integrated
informatics solution, in conjunction with local health systems.
Our Tenth Anniversary Serving Your Needs
THE DARK REPORT marks ten years
of providing business intelligence
CEO SUMMARY: It was on September 25, 1995 that the first
issue of THE DARK REPORT was published. The laboratory
industry was in financial turmoil. There was widespread consolidation
in both the commercial lab sector and among hospital
laboratories. Reimbursement for lab testing services was
falling rapidly. Yet, through all these negative changes, there
were still opportunities for growth and financial success.
AmeriPath Will Acquire Specialty Laboratories
AmeriPath is changing strategies, will emphasize reference/esoteric testing
CEO SUMMARY: It's a surprise to most lab industry
observers. AmeriPath, a company built around 400 anatomic
pathologists working mostly in community hospitals, is
acquiring a national reference/esoteric testing company.
However, this deal may be better understood by looking at
the motives of Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, the private
equity firm which owns AmeriPath.
Informatics Update: GE Healthcare Will Acquire
IDX Systems for $1.2 Billion
IDX's physician office management system
helps GE position itself for the universal EMR
Bio-Reference Labs Develops Regional & Niche Strategies
Nation's Largest Mid-Size Lab Firm Thinks Local and Acts Global
CEO SUMMARY: Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. (BRLI) of
Elmwood Park, New Jersey is a lab company on a roll. In
just five years, it has grown from $66 million to more than
$160 million in annual revenues. For regional laboratories
across the country, BRLI's business strategies demonstrate
how a well-focused business plan, combined with
good management execution, can generate sustained
increases in specimen volume, revenues, and profit margins.
In this exclusive interview, BRLI CEO Marc Grodman,
M.D. shares details about BRLI's strategies and success.
WSJ Slams Client Bill For Lab Test Services
Reporter scrutinizes client bill arrangements for lab services in GI, dermatology, and urology
CEO SUMMARY: In a front-page story last Friday, the Wall
Street Journal published an investigative story on the topic
of client billing for laboratory testing and anatomic pathology
services. It's a"must-read" story for all pathologists and
lab managers. For years, the lab industry has recognized
how client-billing arrangements can encourage a variety of
abuses and illegal practices.
INTELLIGENCE:
CROC BLOOD MAY YIELD POWERFUL NEW ANTIBIOTICS
"LEAN" LAB MANAGER WANTED
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