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
Sign In

Group Health Cooperative Study Uses EHRs and Stepped Interventions to Double Rate of Colorectal Cancer Screenings

Pathologists and clinical laboratory managers may find new opportunities to increase testing volumes as patients’electronic health records yield clinically relevant data

Sophisticated use of electronic health records (EHRs), automated reminder systems, and telephone follow-up can double cancer-screening compliance by consumers. That could mean an increase in testing volumes for clinical laboratories serving clinics using this approach.

Researchers at the Group Health Research Institute (GHRI) used electronic health records to identify Group Health Cooperative (GHC) patients who weren’t screened regularly for cancer of the colon and rectum.

Because of how EHRs were used to step-up patient compliance for cancer screening, the study findings may be useful for pathologists and clinical laboratory managers. Over the years, many medical laboratories have furnished referring physicians a list of their patients who are due for screening tests, such as for cervical cancer. (more…)

New Diagnostic Technology Creates Opportunities for Clinical Laboratories to Help Physicians with Faster, More Accurate Diagnoses

Using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to detect only human blood in stool, this technology compares favorably when tested against other methodologies

New diagnostic technologies are literally tumbling out of research laboratories and biotech development companies at an increasing pace. The sheer volume of proprietary medical laboratory tests and new molecular diagnostic assays makes it a challenge for pathologists and clinical laboratory managers to identify which new lab tests have the greatest clinical value—and will also be adequately reimbursed by payers.

Each time a clinical laboratory wants to bring up a new medical laboratory test, it requires substantial effort. The laboratory will expend substantial financial, clinical, and operational resources to acquire the instrumentation, run the studies needed to validate the test, and begin the process of educating physicians about the value of the new test and how to use it in their medical practice. (more…)

;