DARK Daily Laboratory and Pathology News
DARK Daily is an e-briefing service providing up-to-the minute news of relevance for anyone working in diagnostic medicine, from clinical laboratories and pathology groups to lab industry suppliers and diagnostic technology companies. DARK Daily is part of The Dark Intelligence Group, Inc. and is dedicated to bringing useful business and management intelligence to laboratory managers, pathologists and diagnostic executives. Our recognized expertise in the strategic direction of laboratory medicine and the management of laboratories is available through DARK Daily, The Dark Report, the Executive War College on Laboratory and Pathology Management, Lab Quality Confab, free White Papers, free lab product reviews, and strategic consulting services.Latest E-Briefings
Trend of Hospitals Re-entering the Health Insurance Market May Benefit Hospital Laboratories
As ACO movement gathers momentum, hospitals and health systems see opportunities in providing health insurance
Hospitals and health systems are getting back into the health insurance business. Not only is this seen as an opportunity created by the development of accountable-care organizations (ACOs), but it may help the clinical laboratories of these same hospitals that serve office-based physicians in their communities.
This trend is another result of the Obamacare legislation. Some hospital systems are seizing an opportunity to expand their roles and grow revenue by once again getting into the health insurance business. Some experts believe this trend is likely to create more competition among insurers.
It may also accelerate the shift away from fee-for-service reimbursement to a global or bundled payment structure. As this occurs, medical laboratories will need to develop services that offer greater value to physicians and patients. continue reading
After 4 Years and $1 Billion, the VA and DoD Abandon Plans for a Fully Integrated EHR
DoD/VA public relations debacle could provide valuable lessons for laboratory organizations looking to implement large-scale IT or operational innovations
Even as the federal government is incentivizing hospitals, physicians, and all types of healthcare providers to adopt and use electronic health records (EHRs), it has admitted failure in its own attempt to integrate EHRs that serve two of the nation’s largest health benefits programs.
Those two programs, the Veterans Administration (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD), provide healthcare to millions of individuals. In recent years, the two agencies have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to interface and integrate their respective EHR systems. continue reading
Noted Pathologist George Lundberg, M.D., Sees Opportunity for Pathology Profession to be Leaders in Diagnostics during the Era of Genomics
Noted pathologist encourages pathology profession to step up and assert leadership in clinical diagnostics as it enters the era of genomics-based medicine
Pathologists, embrace molecular testing or become irrelevant. In essence, that’s the message from pathology maven George D. Lundberg, M.D..
Lundberg is well known to pathologists in America. A board-certified pathologist himself, Lundberg served 17 years as Editor in Chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). He continues to write and blog for a variety of healthcare publications and Web sites.
That means Lundberg has watched the evolution of medicine from a unique perspective for an extended period of time. The fact that he recently issued a clear and unambiguous call to action for the pathology profession means that pathologists and clinical laboratory managers should take heed. continue reading
California Patient Gets Outrageous Clinical Pathology Laboratory Test Bill from Napa Hospital, Almost 10 Times Higher Than Similar Testing from Quest Diagnostics
A newspaper in San Francisco featured a story about the patient’s complaint about being overcharged thousands of dollars by the hospital for medical laboratory tests
Here’s how a community hospital that charges inpatient prices for clinical laboratory testing to a walk-up customer find itself at the center of a media news storm. In California, a newspaper trumpeted the story of an unhappy consumer stuck with a $4,316.55 bill for a panel of medical lab tests that a national lab would have performed for just $464, about 90% cheaper!
Cautionary Tale for Medical Laboratories and Pathology Groups
Price transparency is a major trend in healthcare and consumers are catching on quickly. This raises the stakes for any hospital, medical laboratory, and anatomic pathology group that is slow to respond to the growing number of consumers who now price-shop whenever they need clinical laboratory tests. continue reading
Well-known Journalist Blasts Hospitals, Drug Makers, and Device Manufacturers for Lack of Transparent Prices and High Cost of Medical Care
Public scrutiny of exorbitant hospital ‘chargemaster’ prices for health services and medical laboratory tests is growing
Publication by Time Magazine of an in-depth investigation of the exorbitant prices charged to patients by many hospitals continues to cause a stir among both healthcare policymakers and patient advocates. Clinical laboratory executives and pathologists should take note of this public debate.
The exposé was published by Time on March 4 under the title “Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us”. It was authored by prominent journalist and entrepreneur Steven Brill, the founder of Court TV. Dark Daily suggests that this is useful reading for pathologists and clinical laboratory managers who want to stay abreast of the trend to provide patients with greater transparency in hospital prices and outcomes. continue reading
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