Laboratory News

2007's Top Lab Stories Reveal Rapid Changes Since 2002

Fresh off the printing press is list of the "Top 10 Lab Stories for 2007" from The Dark Report.  We at Dark Daily wanted to give Dark Report non-subscribers a peek at this year's top 10, while comparing it to the top 10 stories just five years ago.  Here are the lists for 2002 and 2007:

Top 10 Laboratory News Stories of 2002

1.      Lots of Consolidation Among Public Laboratory Companies

2.      National Oligopoly-Regional Monopoly Becomes Laboratory Industry Fact

3.      Public Measurement of Hospital And Physician Performance Is Here

4.      Quality Management Systems Gain Traction In Growing Numbers of Labs

5.      Forget the MT/MLT Staff Shortage:  Histotech Shortage is Here Now!

6.      Heavily-Discounted Lab Test Pricing Again Proves To Be a Poor Strategy

7.      Laboratory Automation Gains Credibility, But Far From True TLA

8.      "Proprietary" Lab Test Technology Designed to Cost Lab Customers More

9.      At Long Last, a Major City Dominated By Hospital Lab Outreach Programs

10.  LabCorp Gobbles Up DIANON Systems, Ready to Challenge in Anatomic Path

Top 10 Laboratory News Stories of 2007

1.      UnitedHealth Deal with LabCorp Upsets MC Contract Status Quo

2.      New Investors Drive Up Valuations for Laboratory Testing Companies

3.      Medicare Competitive Bid Demo Moves Toward Implementation

4.      IVD Industry Attracts New Players, Prices for Molecular Firms Skyrocket

5.      Lean/Six Sigma Techniques Gain Mainstream Acceptance by Labs

6.      EMRs in Doctors' Offices Trigger New Demands on Competing Labs

7.      Speedy Change in Six Lab Sectors Points to Accelerating Evolution

8.      TC/PC Batters Anatomic Pathologists, New CMS Rules Offer Some Relief

9.      Hospital CEOs Realize Capital Value By Selling Lab Outreach Businesses

10.  Procter & Gamble Positions Itself To Retail Diagnostic Tests in Stores

There are two important observations for those of you that haven't seen the 2002 list previously.  First, many of the news stories from 2002 are still making Dark Daily and Dark Report headlines five years later.  For example, 2002 stories one and two-ongoing lab consolidation driven by the two blood brothers and a national oligopoly in the lab market-continue to drive events in 2007.  Second, none of the top 10 news stories from 2002 overlapped with this year's top 10.  New market drivers are emerging, as reflected in such 2007 events as skyrocketing investor interest in lab testing companies and the steady adoption of EMRs by office-based physicians.

The disparity in the two lists of top 10 lab stories-just five years apart-is a powerful sign of the rapid evolution in the lab testing marketplace.  Many lab managers who subscribe to The Dark Report tell us they are at a distinct advantage, as they get access to trends and news stories before their competitors and can make appropriate changes to their operations.  If you would like to receive a sample copy of The Dark Report  with our full coverage of the "Top 10 Lab Stories of 2007," sent to you by mail, visit: http://www.darkreport.com/dark/sample.htm.  Note:  The Web page says you will receive an older version of The Dark Report.  All requests we receive between now and December 31^st will receive the Top 10 Lab Stories of 2007 issue!