News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

Hosted by Robert Michel

News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

Hosted by Robert Michel
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In 2017, to Offset Declining Reimbursement and Shrinking Budgets, Savvy Clinical Laboratories Are Using LEAN to Improve Service and Intelligently Cut Costs

Nation’s most experienced lab operations managers, cost-cutters, and Lean experts will gather to share successes and proven ideas at Lab Quality Confab on October 18-19, 2016

Most hospitals and health systems are in the first stages of developing their budgets for 2017. Clinical laboratory administrators and pathologists at these institutions report three common factors are driving the next budget cycle: falling reimbursement, flat or declining inpatient admissions, and directives to cut their lab budgets.

“At our health system, the challenge is a bit different,” said one lab administrator at a large Midwest hospital. “Inpatient volumes are increasing, but we get less money from health insurers per admission. For that reason, our budget planning requirement is to accept a smaller budget than last year, while planning to handle more specimen volume in 2017, compared to this year.” (more…)

The Joint Commission Promotes Master Black Belt as Director of the Center for Transforming Healthcare

Announcement is more evidence that hospitals and clinical pathology laboratories are adopting Lean and Six Sigma methods


Guess which major healthcare organization is raising the profile of Lean and Six Sigma within its walls? It is The Joint Commission! The Joint Commission recently promoted an experienced master black belt to two key positions.

Clinical laboratory managers and pathologists will be interested to learn that Alex Vandiver, MBB, was appointed to be Director of Business Excellence, as well as Director of the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare.

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