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

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Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

Hosted by Robert Michel
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Keynote Speakers at the Executive War College Describe the Divergent Paths of Clinical Laboratory Testing as New Players Offer Point-of-Care Tests and More Consumers Want Access to Home Tests

27th annual meeting of medical laboratory and pathology managers delivers insights on the path ahead for diagnostics, ranging from the supply chain shortage and the ‘Great Resignation’ to advances in artificial intelligence and whole genome sequencing in service of precision medicine

Divergent paths of diagnostic testing are among the central topics being discussed at the 27th annual Executive War College on Laboratory and Pathology Management happening this week in New Orleans.

What’s coming as healthcare providers move to post-COVID-19 pandemic workflows will be of keen interest to clinical laboratory leaders attending this critical event. Several new and dynamic market changes are reshaping the development of, ordering, and reimbursement for medical laboratory tests. They include:

  • Millennials as change agents in how care is accessed and delivered.
  • New buyers of large volumes of clinical lab tests, such as retail pharmacies.
  • How clinical laboratories can earn new sources of revenue while supporting precision medicine.

Clinical Labs Should Prepare for the ‘Coming Roller Coaster Ride’

Robert L. Michel, Editor-in-Chief of Dark Daily’s sister publication, The Dark Report, and Founder of the Executive War College, described the “coming roller coaster ride” for the pathology and clinical laboratory industries.

Amid the usual operational issues labs deal with (e.g., workforce shortages, supply chain disruptions, regulatory pressures), he noted the emergence of new and powerful forces pulling clinical laboratories and pathology groups in all directions.

“One primary factor is how Millennials will use healthcare differently than Gen Xers and Baby Boomers,” Michel noted. “Similarly, Millennials will make up 75% of the pathologists and the lab workforce by 2025.

“Another major force for change will be new buyers of clinical laboratory tests,” he continued. “For example, expect to see national retail pharmacy chains build thousands of primary care clinics in their retail pharmacies. These clinics will need lab tests and will become major buyers of near-patient analyzers and lab tests.

“A third interesting factor is that a new class of in vitro diagnostics (IVD) manufacturers are developing analyzers and test systems that use minimal amounts of specimens and return answers in minutes. Primary care clinics in retail pharmacies will be interested in buying these lab testing solutions,” Michel concluded.

Robert L. Michel
Robert L. Michel (above), Editor-in-Chief of The Dark Report and Founder of the Executive War College, has studied and worked with leaders of clinical laboratories and pathology groups for more than four decades. During his keynote address, he predicted that powerful economic forces are about to be unleashed on the traditional market for clinical laboratory testing. Those forces include the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in digital pathology, primary care in retail pharmacies, and increased focus on precision medicine. (Photo copyright: The Dark Intelligence Group.)

Peer-to-Peer Learning Opportunities

With approximately 90 presenters scheduled, clinical laboratory leaders from such prestigious institutions as Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mayo Clinic, United Indian Health Services, and more will facilitate peer-to-peer learnings throughout the conference.

In addition, industry executives scheduled to deliver keynotes include Jon Harol, Lighthouse Lab Services Founder and President; Stan Letovsky, PhD, Vice President for AI, Data Sciences and Bioinformatics as well as other executives from Labcorp; and Curtiss McNair II, Vice President and General Manager of Laboratory Services at American Oncology Network.

In addition, several sessions and panel Q/A discussions will cover critical legal and regulatory issues and payer challenges facing the industry.

New Technologies, Workflows, Analytics

The 2022 Executive War College master classes, breakouts, panel discussions, and benefactor sessions will highlight several significant themes:

  • Lab data analytics and utilization. Sessions this year are heavily weighted toward data analytics, aggregation, and utilization. Look for case studies demonstrating the value of lab data, and where and how data has become actionable and monetized. As Dark Daily previously reported, useful data structures have been difficult to achieve for clinical laboratories; however, the case studies featured during this week’s conference will demonstrate signs of progress and highlight lessons learned.
  • Automation. Several case studies are planned that focus on expansion and modernization using laboratory automation. From Butler Health System, an independent hospital system in western Pa., Robert Patterson, MD, Medical Director of Pathology, Laboratory Medicine, and Laboratory Outreach, will detail steps Butler took that enabled its labs to better compete with other area health systems and national reference laboratories. Likewise, Eric Parnell, System Supervisor of Microbiology for Bronson Healthcare in southern Mich., will discuss his lab’s transition to and implementation of total laboratory automation.
  • Genetic testing and next-generation sequencing (NGS). Quickly becoming the foundational disruptor technology on which many new and powerful clinical laboratory tests and procedures are based, genomic testing has now become accessible and affordable. Many clinical laboratories and pathology groups are using molecular diagnostics testing to deliver clinical value to referring physicians.

Other sessions include:

  • Launching and scaling clinical NGS testing in a clinical environment (featuring a project at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego).
  • How labs and payers can work together to achieve better outcomes and health equity using genomic testing.
  • Effective ways to repurpose PCR and other genetic test instruments to build specimen volume and increase lab revenue.

Paths Forward for Clinical Labs and Pathology Groups

Another important topic being discussed at the 2022 Executive War College is how to position clinical laboratories and pathology groups for the next phase of modern healthcare.

Legal experts and consultants from McDonald Hopkins LLC, Advanced Strategic Partners, Pathology Practice Advisors, and ECG Management Consultants, among others, will answer questions on:

  • Attracting capital for clinical labs and pathology groups.
  • Emerging concepts in growth strategies.
  • Business valuation factors.
  • Unexpected disruptions during sales closings.

These are just a few highlights of the informative sessions and expert speakers scheduled during this week’s 27th annual Executive War College in New Orleans. Look for more coverage in Dark Daily during the days ahead and in upcoming editions of our sister publication The Dark Report.

Full details about the 2022 Executive War College can be found by clicking on this link. (Or copy/paste this URL into your web browser: http://www.executivewarcollege.com.)

Speakers, session topics, and the conference agenda can be viewed by clicking on this link. (Or copy/paste this URL into your web browser: https://executivewarcollege.darkintelligencegroup.com/executive-war-college-agenda-2022.)

—Liz Carey

Related Information:

Executive War College on Lab and Pathology Management

Executive War College: Efficient Data Structure Can Bring in More Reimbursement Dollars and Allow Clinical Laboratories to Sell Aggregated Information

Clinical Laboratory Conferences Continue to Tackle COVID-19 Protocols to Put Attendees at Ease

Proof of vaccination, masking, and availability of on-site testing will continue to be measures taken at in-person events for pathologists and medical laboratory professionals

Organizers of in-person clinical laboratory conferences face an interesting dilemma as they plan events in 2022: Where do they draw the line with COVID-19 safety protocols?

On one hand, the surge of cases caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant seems to be in its waning stages and large swaths of the population are vaccinated. On the other hand, clinical laboratory and anatomic pathology events want potential registrants to have confidence that it is safe to travel and attend the gatherings.

One lab industry conference producer who happens to be knee-deep in preparing for an in-person meeting this spring is Robert Michel, Editor-in-Chief of The Dark Report and Founder of the 27th Annual Executive War College on Laboratory and Pathology Management. This informative event takes place on April 27-28 in New Orleans and includes COVID-19 protocols to protect attendees.

The CDC chart above shows the daily number of new COVID-19 cases in the US for the six-month period ending Feb. 28, 2022. Clinical laboratory managers should note that the number of new cases is at its lowest level since the Omicron variant showed up early this year.

“It’s important for all those planning to attend this year’s Executive War College to know that screening COVID-19 protocols will be in place to ensure the health and safety of all participants,” Michel noted. “We did a large lab conference in the fall of 2021 that included protocols for COVID-19 and the attendees told us they appreciated the protection provided by those protocols.”

After a significant rise in COVID-19 cases in January 2022 due to the Omicron variant, current daily case levels now are lower than they were six months ago before the new variant hit, according to numbers from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The in-person 2021 Executive War College, which took place in San Antonio on Nov. 2-3, 2021, followed the CDC’s recommendations:

  • COVID-19 protocols included a daily set of questions and a temperature check for all speakers and attendees before they were allowed to enter the conference area.
  • CLIA-complex rapid PCR COVID-19 tests were available for individuals whose temperature and answers to the screening questions indicated the need for such testing.
  • Attendees used an app to answer the daily screening questions and upload proof of vaccination.

“At last fall’s Executive War College, approximately 400 attendees were screened on each of the three days before entering the conference area and not one rapid COVID-19 test was needed,” Michel said. “Not only is that an outstanding outcome, but a number of attendees also told us they appreciated our efforts to keep them safe and protect their health.”

The 2022 Executive War College will follow the CDC’s updated COVID-19 guidelines, along with any state and local directives in effect as of April 27.

Although 300 attendees were expected at the 2021 Executive War College, 400 registered and participated.

Proof of Vaccination Has Been Required at Other Clinical Lab Industry Events

Organizers of other clinical lab conferences also have dealt with COVID-19 safety protocols. For example, the American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA) will hold its annual meeting in Washington, D.C., on March 9. COVID-19-related requirements for attendees will include proof of vaccination uploaded to a vaccine verification vendor and proof of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to the event.

The annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) occurs later this year in September in Chicago—too early yet to publish protocols. Last year’s ASCP conference in Boston was a hybrid event, offering both in-person and virtual options. Those who attended in person needed to upload proof of vaccination to a third-party vendor and were required to wear masks. On-site COVID-19 testing was available.

Revived Corporate Travel Could Boost Clinical Laboratory Conferences

The path back to live events across all industries has not been easy given various COVID-19 surges, political divisiveness over masking, frozen corporate travel budgets, and corporate policies banning or limiting employee travel.

Conference organizers throughout the United States universally hope those barriers will lower as 2022 progresses.

“With the fast-spreading Omicron triggering another round of setbacks to start 2022, event planners now are betting on spring to finally mark a turning point for the hard-hit industry,” MarketWatch reported on Feb. 4. “Their hopes hinge on American corporations taking a note from the recovery already under way for domestic air travel for leisure purposes, with the linchpin being a robust revival of trade show attendance and other in-person business gatherings.”

For Michel, offering actionable advice through well-thought-out sessions has been a cornerstone of the content offered each year at the Executive War College. He believes that approach will continue to be the strongest drawing point for clinical laboratory and pathology executives now considering attending the event.

“Our reading of the tea leaves is that across the profession of laboratory medicine, a great many managers, administrators, executives, and pathologists want to return to in-person conferences,” Michel noted. “Registrations for our April event are running ahead of 2019, and people tell us that they recognize the changes in healthcare and the lab marketplace because of the pandemic. They want to understand what’s driving current trends, like greater consumer involvement in lab testing and how to get private payers to reimburse claims for COVID-19 and genetic tests, as well as how a growing number of clinical laboratories are incorporating artificial intelligence solutions in both clinical care settings and lab operations.”

Visit the Executive War College website to see the agenda and to register.

—Scott Wallask

Related Information:

Executive War College

New Lab, Pathology Trends at Executive War College 2021

CDC COVID-19 Guidelines

American Clinical Laboratory Association

American Society for Clinical Pathology

Going live: Event Planners Are Shouldering Big Financial Risks as Corporate America Looks to Schmooze Again This Spring

New Directions for Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups: Executive War College Presents Roadmaps for Success after COVID-19

Self-insured and campus health markets are contract opportunities for small and midsize clinical laboratories through investment in data infrastructure and management

Clinical laboratory and pathology group managers do not often hear that they have an opportunity to be paid “handsomely.” However, it appears that there is a clear path to such rewards, according to Kristine Bordenave, MD, FACP, a strategic consultant in precision medicine, population health, Medicare compliance, and cost management.

Bordenave spoke this week at the Executive War College in San Antonio. During two intriguing presentations, she shared that the self-insured employer and campus health markets are areas of opportunity for small and midsize clinical laboratories. This is because employer groups and college campuses are busy communities of covered individuals, and these population health groups are well-suited for proactive care models.

In fact, she said, some clinical laboratories may already be well-positioned to serve these customers.

Self-Insured Employer Groups and Campus Health Markets as New Clinical Laboratory Customers

According to CMS national health expenditure data, in 2020, a whopping $4 trillion was spent on healthcare in the US. In the middle of all that are people living, going to school, and working who have high blood pressure, rising lipid levels, lower-back pain, migraines, and other health conditions waiting to be diagnosed and flagged for follow-up.

And as pathologists and clinical laboratory managers know, 80% of those healthcare encounters result in lab test data.

Clinical laboratories, therefore, can gain customers among self-insured employer groups and similarly functioning campus health markets that serve students.

Kristine Bordenave, MD, FACP

During her presentations at the 2021 Executive War College in San Antonio, Kristine Bordenave, MD, FACP (above), a strategic consultant in precision medicine, population health, Medicare compliance, and cost management, noted that “just about all paths forward post-COVID will require the data infrastructure of clinical laboratories to achieve an advanced level of functionality.” (Photo copyright: The Dark Intelligence Group.)

In one example she gave during her presentation, Bordenave noted that self-insured employer groups “were more than willing to contract directly, and they were contracting for care that directly relates to lab. Anything that would help reduce presenteeism and absenteeism with their employees.”

Presenteeism and Absenteeism

For years, presenteeism and absenteeism have plagued employee productivity in organizations large and small. Both have been attributed to numerous individual health and wellness factors among individuals. At some point, these issues culminate into various forms of reactive healthcare services and safety issues, she added.

The cost of presenteeism is estimated at between $150 billion and $225 billion. Meanwhile, at least 60% of employees are now covered in fully-funded or partially-funded self-insured plans, Healthcare Finance reported.  

The way a campus health system operates is similar to a self-insured model but more of an integrated delivery system, Bordenave said. Among the priorities are controlling the spread of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19 and measles.

Clinical Laboratory Data Valuable in Treating-to-Goal and Closing Care Gaps

During two featured Executive War College general session discussions, Bordenave explained the focus of her work: aligning primary care with the clinical laboratory to treat-to-goal and close care gaps.

“There was a lot of focus on us taking laboratory information and treating people to goal, and that was with respect to diabetes, cholesterol, and hypertension, because those are three common diseases that exist within their [employee] populations. [Primary care doctors] know [that] if they [can] maximize the care in those patients—so that the patient is maximally treated—that patient performs. There’s a lot of literature around this.”

In the state of New Mexico where Bordenave’s project evolved, a culture of innovation prevails, where like-minded people have an opportunity to “do the unique,” she explained. The state’s population is spread out, there is a shortage of healthcare providers, and people generally lack access to health services and other social determinants of health. The liberty to think outside the box—to ensure care in creative ways—was essential to the success of Bordenave’s project.

“Blue Cross Blue Shield paid handsomely for improving healthcare outcomes in diabetes,” she said, adding, “and we never did a standard visit with any of those patients, ever. Then we got paid by a big employer group to do the same thing for them.”

Future of Clinical Laboratory Functionality

Bordenave noted that just about all paths forward post-COVID will require the data infrastructure of clinical laboratories to achieve an advanced level of functionality. Dark Daily will cover more opportunities for labs to capitalize on their structured data in future ebriefings.

Executive War College is scheduled to reconvene April 27-28, 2022, in New Orleans. In the meantime, recordings of this year’s presentations will be available for download, including:

  • A Roundtable Discussion on Current Activity Involving Clinical Laboratory and Pathology Mergers and Acquisitions.
  • Taking a Deeper Dive into How Artificial Intelligence Analyzes a Digital Pathology Image: What Current Technology Can and Cannot Do, Steps to Implement, and Understanding How the FDA Views AI in Digital Pathology.
  • Open Conversation About the Healthcare Data Aggregation Hub Model.
  • And more.

To learn about Executive War College’s complete program package, send an email request to info@darkreport.com.

Liz Carey

Related Information:

National Health Expenditures Fact Sheet

A self-funded plan can be part of your strategy to lower health care costs

Sickness presenteeism at work: prevalence, costs and management

Self-insured employers are playing an increasing role in taking on the status quo to lower costs

Successful Population Health Management Hinges on Efficiency

Risk Stratification: A Two-Step Process for Identifying Your Sickest Patients

The Impact of Community Pharmacists on Social Determinants of Health

Executive War College on Clinical Laboratory and Pathology Management Returns in November with Emphasis on New Clinical and Financial Opportunities

Following a nearly two-year disruption due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, pathologists and clinical laboratory professionals once again have an opportunity to gather and learn from each other

It is good news that the daily number of new cases of COVID-19 continue declining here in the United States. That fact, and the growing number of vaccinations, have encouraged state and federal officials to lift many restrictions on business and social activities.

Clinical laboratories are watching a big drop in the daily number of COVID-19 tests they perform, even as routine test volumes climb and more patients show up in doctors’ offices for the typical mix of ailments and health conditions.

It’s true that many familiar routines are back. But it is also true that things are not exactly the way they were pre-pandemic. And that’s the rub. Going forward, what should medical laboratory managers and pathologists expect to be the “post-pandemic normal” in how patients access care and how providers deliver clinical services? How will healthcare in this country be different from what it was pre-pandemic?

Preparing Clinical Lab Leaders for What Comes Next

These questions and more will be front and center when the Executive War College on Lab and Pathology Management returns on Nov. 2-3, 2021, at the Hyatt Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio. The theme of this first live gathering since the spring of 2019 will be “Preparing Your Clinical Laboratory and Pathology Group for Post-Pandemic Success.”

“Today, lab managers have the interesting challenge of understanding the new opportunities they can use to advance their labs, both clinically and financially,” stated Robert L. Michel, Editor-in-Chief of Dark Daily and its sister publication The Dark Report, and founder of the Executive War College. “It isn’t that the pandemic changed healthcare in fundamental ways. Rather, it is that the pandemic accelerated changes that were underway before the outbreak began.

“That’s true of telehealth as well, for example,” he continued. “Once the nation was locked down, utilization of virtual physician visits and telehealth services skyrocketed. Today, national surveys confirm that as many as 50% of all patients and physicians have used a telehealth service, are comfortable with this type of appointment, and are ready to continue to use virtual office visits.

Robert Michel

Robert Michel (above), Editor-in-Chief of Dark Daily, its sister publication The Dark Report, and founder of The Dark Intelligence Group, will host the first live edition of the Executive War College since May 2019 in San Antonio. The theme will be “Preparing Your Clinical Laboratory and Pathology Group for Post-Pandemic Success.” Attendees from clinical laboratories and pathology groups will gain critical insights they can act on immediately. (Photo copyright: The Dark Report.)

“Another trend accelerated by the pandemic is patient self-testing at home,” Michel added. “Government health officials saw the benefit of clearing for clinical use different specimen collection systems and COVID-19 test methods designed for use by consumers in the comfort of their home. Today, consumers can choose from multiple specimen collection products and SARS-CoV-2 tests designed for in-home use. Clinical laboratory managers should consider this development to be a consumer home-test baseline. Federal officials have created a regulatory pathway that will make it easier and faster for federal regulators to clear other types of diagnostic tests for consumer home use.”

What if the FDA Approves More Consumer At-Home Tests?

There are implications to each of the two trends described above. In the case of telehealth, if patients see their doctors virtually and the doctors order medical tests, how do clinical laboratories access these patients to collect the specimens needed to do this testing?

Similarly, if, in coming years, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) increases the number of diagnostic test specimen-collection kits that consumers can use from home, how should local clinical laboratories position themselves to receive those kits and perform those tests?

These are two examples of important questions to be answered at sessions scheduled for the Executive War College in San Antonio on Nov. 2-3. Case studies by innovative lab leaders will address topics ranging from high-level strategy to daily management, operations, marketing, and managed care contracting.

Attendance Limited at This Fall’s Executive War College

At the first live edition of the Executive War College since May 2019, attendees will notice one significant difference from earlier years. By design, and for the safety and well-being of attendees, the number of attendees will be limited to 300. The hotel follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and is prepared to adjust those numbers as CDC guidance evolves. Thus, those interested in attending this year’s conference are advised to register early to guarantee their place and avoid being disappointed.

Suggestions for session topics and speakers are welcome and can be sent to info@darkreport.com. Conference details, session topics, and speakers will be updated regularly at www.executivewarcollege.com.

So, register today because seating is limited at the 2021 Executive War College Presents “Preparing Your Clinical Laboratory and Pathology Group for Post-Pandemic Success.” To ensure your place at this valuable conference, click HERE or place this URL (https://dark.regfox.com/2021-ewc-presents) into your browser.

—Michael McBride

Related Information

Executive War College Presents: Preparing Your Clinical Laboratory and Pathology Group for Post-Pandemic Success

EWC Registration Information

CAP Today Archives involving Executive War College Presentations

Executive War College: Virtual 2020 Conference Delivers Essential Information About COVID-19 Testing and Getting Paid for Claims

World’s Two Largest Whole Genome Sequencing Programs Give Pathologists and Clinical Laboratory Managers an Intriguing Look at New Diagnostic OpportunitiesSpeakers from UCLA, Alverno Clinical Laboratories, and TriCore Reference Labs Discuss the Creation of Value-Added Lab Services at 20th Annual Executive War College

Three Prominent Clinical Laboratory Leaders Make the Same Prediction: COVID-19 Testing Will Be Significant Through 2020 and Throughout 2021

CEOs of NorDx Laboratories, Sonora Quest Laboratories, and HealthPartners/Park Nicollet Laboratories expect demand for SARS-CoV-2 tests to only increase in coming months

AUSTIN, TEXAS—For clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups in the United States, the single most urgent question is this: how long will the need for substantial volumes of COVID-19 testing continue? Last Wednesday, that question was answered in a most definitive way by CEOs of three nationally-prominent clinical laboratory organizations during a general session of the virtual Executive War College on Clinical Laboratory and Pathology Management.

The short answer is that large volumes of COVID-19 testing will be needed for the remaining weeks of 2020 and substantial COVID-19 testing will occur throughout 2021 and even into 2022. This has major implications for all clinical laboratories in the United States as they plan budgets for 2021 and attempt to manage their supply chain in coming weeks. The additional challenge in coming months is the surge in respiratory virus testing that is typical of an average influenza season.

The title of this information-filled general session was “Coming Next to Clinical Laboratory and Pathology: A Robust Panel Discussion of How Labs Can Prosper Clinically and Financially Going Forward.” Chair and Moderator for the panel was Robert L. Michel, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of The Dark Report and Dark Daily.

Panel is David Dexter and Stan Schofield and Rick L. Panning

The panelists were:

Each panelist was asked how his parent health system and clinical laboratory was preparing to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic through the end of 2020 and into 2021.

First to answer was Panning, whose laboratory serves the Minneapolis-Saint Paul market.

A distinguishing feature of healthcare in the Twin Cities is that it is at the forefront of operational and clinical integration. Competition among health networks is intense and consumer-focused services are essential if a hospital or physician office is to retain its patients and expand market share.

Panning first explained how the pandemic is intensifying in Minnesota. “Our state has been on a two-week path of rising COVID-19 case numbers,” he said. “That rise is mirrored by increased hospitalizations for COVID-19 and ICU bed utilization is going up dramatically. The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients has doubled during this time and Minnesota is surrounded by states that are even in worse shape than us.”

These trends are matched by the outpatient/outreach experience. “We are also seeing more patients use virtual visits to our clinics, compared to recent months,” noted Panning. “About 35% of clinical visits are virtual because people do not want to physically go into a clinic or doctor’s office.

“Given these recent developments, we’ve had to expand our network of specimen collection sites because of social distancing requirements,” explained Panning. “Each patient collection requires more space, along with more time to clean and sterilize that space before it can be used for the next patient. Our lab and our parent health system are focused on what we call crisis standards of care.

“For all these reasons, our planning points to an ongoing demand for COVID-19 testing,” he added. “Influenza season is arriving, and the pandemic is accelerating. Given that evidence, and the guidance from state and federal officials, we expect our clinical laboratory will be providing significant numbers of COVID-19 tests for the balance of this year and probably far into 2021.”

 COVID-19 Vaccine Could Increase Antibody and Rapid Molecular Testing

Arizona is seeing comparable increases in new daily COVID-19 cases. “There’s been a strong uptick that coincides with the governor’s decision to loosen restrictions that allowed bars and exercise clubs to open,” stated Dexter. “We’ve gone from a 3.8% positivity rate up to 7% as of last night. By the end of this week, we could be a 10% positivity rate.”

Looking at the balance of 2020 and into 2021, Dexter said, “Our lab is in the midst of budget planning. We are budgeting to support an increase in COVID-19 PCR testing in both November and December. Arizona state officials believe that COVID-19 cases will peak at the end of January and we’ll start seeing the downside in February of 2021.”

The possible availability of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is another factor in planning at Dexter’s clinical laboratory. “If such a vaccine becomes available, we think there will be a significant increase in antibody testing, probably starting in second quarter and continuing for the balance of 2021. There will also be a need for rapid COVID-19 molecular tests. Today, such tests are simply unavailable. Because of supply chain difficulties, we predict that they won’t be available in sufficient quantities until probably late 2021.”

COVID-19 Testing Supply Shortages Predicted as Demand Increases

At NorDx Laboratories in Portland, Maine, the expectation is that the COVID-19 pandemic will continue even into 2022. “Our team believes that people will be wearing masks for 18 more months and that COVID-19 testing with influenza is going to be the big demand this winter,” observed Schofield. “The demand for both COVID-19 and influenza testing will press all of us up against the wall because there are not enough reagents, plastics, and plates to handle the demand that we see building even now. 

“Our hospitals are already preparing for a second surge of COVID-19 cases,” he said.

COVID-19 patients will be concentrated in only three or four hospitals. The other hospitals will handle routine work. Administration does not want to have COVID-19 patients spread out over 12 or 14 hospitals, as happened last March and April.

“Administration of the health system and our clinical laboratory think that the COVID-19 test volume and demand for these tests will be tough on our lab for another 12 months. This will be particularly true for COVID-19 molecular tests.”

As described above, the CEOs of these three major clinical laboratories believe that the demand for COVID-19 testing will continue well into 2021, and possibly also into 2022. A recording of the full session was captured by the virtual Executive War College and, as a public service to the medical laboratory and pathology profession, access to this recording will be provided to any lab professional who contacts info@darkreport.com and provides their email address, name, title, and organization.

Executive War College Closing Session

This week’s closing general session of the virtual Executive War College also will deal with the current state of the clinical laboratory industry and bring together three notable lab industry leaders and thinkers. The session, titled “What Comes Next in Healthcare and Laboratory Medicine: Essential Insights to Position Your Clinical Lab and Pathology Group for Clinical and Financial Success, Whether COVID or No COVID,” takes place Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM Eastern.

Your presenters will be:

Given the importance of sound strategic planning for all clinical laboratories and pathology groups during their fall budget process, the virtual Executive War College is opening this session to all professionals in laboratory medicine, in vitro diagnostics, and lab informatics.

To register for access, visit: https://dark.regfox.com/executive-war-college-2020. Enter the code: COURTESYCAPTDR. Next, select “apply code” and complete the registration.

—Michael McBride

Related Information:

Coming Next to Clinical Laboratory and Pathology: A Robust Discussion of How Labs Can Prosper Clinically and Financially Going Forward

Expert Panel—What Comes Next in Healthcare and Laboratory Medicine: Essential Insights to Position your Clinical Lab and Pathology Group for Clinical and Financial Success, COVID or No COVID

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