The Dark Intelligence Group Team
Robert L. Michel
President & Editor in Chief
Deborah Lucas Michel, RN
Vice President
Deborah Lucas Michel RN is the Vice President for the Dark Intelligence Group based in Spicewood, Texas since 2000. She is responsible for Audio Conferences, Human Resources, Contract Monitoring, and financial oversight. She has a nursing degree and a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration from USC. Nurse Debbie is a psychiatric nurse with expertise in Quality Management, Program Development, and Case Management. When not working, she does volunteer work for community based services, trains Engel, enjoys sailing, and dancing. She can be reached at djlucas@darkreport.com or directly at 512-264-7103.
Robert Croce
Executive Publisher/General Manager
Email: bcroce@darkreport.com
Phone: (512) 264-7103
After almost 18 years as an executive in B2B publishing, Bob joined The Dark Intelligence Group in September 2018 to run daily operations and assist founder Robert Michel with a plan for future growth. Bob’s stops as a publishing company leader include health care information and training companies HCPro and Carlat Publishing, and Wellesley Information Services in the IT space. While at HCPro as Group Publisher, Bob was a part of a management team that helped that company through 10 years of super growth, leading to two private equity recapitalizations. A Boston area native, and graduate of Northeastern University, Bob splits his work time between our Spicewood, TX, main office, and his home office in the Boston area, where he lives with wife Maureen and their two “cheagle” puppies named Sully and Murphy.
Jim Whitehurst
National Sales Director
Jim Whitehurst joins The Dark Intelligence Group as a Senior Sales Executive. Jim Brings with him over 25 years of experience in the laboratory industry, selling highly-complex laboratory, revenue cycle, document imaging, web portal and connectivity solutions to both commercial and outreach laboratory marketplaces. Prior to TDIG Jim was the the Director of Sales at tevixMD and was responsible for all sales, marketing and business development activities. Prior to tevixMD Jim worked as Vice President of Sales at ASPYRA LLC where he was he is responsible for all sales and new business development activities. Prior to ASPYRA, Whitehurst worked as VP of Sales for Halfpenny Technologies selling connectivity, web portal and mobile reporting solutions for laboratory service providers.
Ron Rohrer
Phone: (317) 446-0225
Ron has more than 25 years of sales leadership experience excelling in the microbiology/infectious disease market. He has successfully pioneered multiple novel technology launches.
Ron is a forerunner in cultivating and capturing new standards for diagnostic medicine. He introduced and grew the following: First generation molecular with Gen-Probe, First generation MRSA and CDIFF PCR testing with GeneOhm Sciences, Multiplex PCR launch with Biofire Dx, Mass Spectrometry at Bruker, and Host Immune Response technology.
Ron is a graduate of the University of Dayton. He lives in Indianapolis with his wife, Lisa. Together they have raised three children and celebrate eight grandchildren. Ron enjoys coaching sports, Indy cars, biking, boating and camping.
Michael McBride
Managing Editor
Email: michael@mcbrideimedia.com
Phone: (616) 502-0850
Michael McBride is Managing Editor of Dark Daily and The Dark Report. He has been writing/editing magazine and website content on clinical laboratory medicine, pathology, healthcare information technology, and related topics for three decades. He also has edited 12 fiction novels for various authors. Michael is former Editor-in-Chief of Health Management Technology magazine, Technology Editor for Medical Economics magazine, and Editorial Director for Pandamoon Publishing.
Amanda Curtis
Manager of Marketing & Operations
Phone: (512) 264-7103
Amanda has over 20 years experience working in executive supporting/accounting roles. She has been an executive office manager, retirement plan administrator, and bookkeeper. Amanda lives near The Dark Report headquarters in Spicewood, TX with her husband and twin sons. She also has a grown daughter who lives in Dallas. Amanda is also a certified personal trainer, part-time wedding coordinator and venue manager.
Kaiser Family Foundation Reports on Prior Authorization Denial Rates by Medicare Advantage Plans
Another report finds nearly half of all healthcare systems planning to opt out of Medicare Advantage plans because of issues caused by prior authorization requirements Prior-authorization is common and neither healthcare providers (including clinical laboratories) nor...
Some Hospitals Under Financial Stress Ask Patients for Payment of Certain Procedures in Advance of Care
Request for money upfront comes at a time when many patients already struggle with medical debt In its reporting of healthcare trends gathering momentum, a national newspaper caused quite a stir this spring when it published a story documenting how some hospitals...
Multiple Researcher Groups Find Increasing Concentrations of Microplastics in Human Tissue
Scientists suspect that the plastics can be linked to a host of medical conditions, but clear evidence is elusive without appropriate biomarkers for clinical laboratory testing Recent research indicates that microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are accumulating in...
Cyberattack Renders Healthcare Providers across Ascension’s Hospital Network Unable to Access Medical Records Endangering Patients
Inability to access clinical laboratory test results forced hospitals to suspend critical procedures and surgeries causing major disruptions to healthcare Cyberattacks continue to shut down the ability of hospitals to process orders for clinical laboratory tests,...
Protesters Outside UnitedHealthcare Headquarters Allege Company Systemically Denies Care
Are ongoing protests and federal investigations into health plan practices evidence that customers have reached a tipping point? It is not common for beneficiaries to get arrested in front of their health plan’s headquarters. But that is what happened in July, when...
In Massive Crackdown, US Department of Justice Charges 193 Defendants with $2.75 Billion in Healthcare Fraud
Charges include $1.1 billion in alleged telemedicine and fraudulent clinical laboratory testing Nearly 200 individuals in 25 states are facing charges for alleged participation in a variety of healthcare frauds, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced in a press...
UC San Francisco Scientists Discover Antibodies That Appear in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Years before Symptoms Occur
Findings may lead to new clinical laboratory biomarkers for predicting risk of developing MS and other autoimmune diseases Scientists continue to find new clinical laboratory biomarkers to detect—and even predict risk of developing—specific chronic diseases. Now, in a...
New Trend in Hospital Administration: On-Demand Management Assignments
Pathology groups and clinical laboratories experiencing shortages in management positions may want to consider on-demand healthcare leaders Are “on-demand” leaders the answer to clinical laboratory and pathology group staff shortages? Perhaps. A new twist on...
UK Researchers Use Artificial Intelligence to Identify DNA Methylation Signatures Associated with Cancer
Study findings could lead to new clinical laboratory diagnostics that give pathologists a more detailed understanding about certain types of cancer New studies proving artificial intelligence (AI) can be used effectively in clinical laboratory diagnostics and...
University College London Researchers Develop Carbon Beads That Slow the Progress of Liver Disease and Improve Gut Microbiome
As this therapeutic approach gains regulatory approval, clinical laboratory tests to determine condition of patient’s gut microbiota and monitor therapy will be needed Some developments in the clinical laboratory industry are less about diagnostic tests and more about...