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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Anticipating the Digital Medicine Revolution, Scripps Doctor Prescribes Smartphone Apps as Frequently as Medications

Pathologists will want to engage with physicians as wireless devices and smartphone apps make it possible to maintain continuous surveillance of the body

Pathologists might want to borrow a page from a tech-savvy doctor who was voted the “Most Influential Physician Executive” in 2012. A cardiologist, this physician says he now prescribes mobile applications for his patients almost as frequently as he prescribes therapeutic drugs.

Many clinical laboratory managers will recognize the name of Eric Topol, M.D., who is the Director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute, Professor of Genomics at the Scripps Research Institute, and Chief Academic Officer at Scripps Health, all located in La Jolla, California. Topol has a passion for wireless medical technology. Moreover, he is nationally recognized as a wireless medical technology trailblazer, as well as for his medical expertise.

In fact, in one news clip, NBC News touts him as the nation’s foremost expert in the explosion of wireless medicine. Topol was also selected by GQ Magazine in 2009 as one of the nation’s 12 “Rock Stars of Science.” (more…)

New iPhone App Allows Consumers to Test Their Urine on the Go for as Many as 25 Different Diseases

Pathologists and clinical laboratory managers may want to learn more about the UCheck mobile app developed by Biosense Technologies  

Developers of a new iPhone application claim their app can analyze a urine specimen for up to 25 different diseases. This mobile app is a deliberate attempt to give consumers the ability to perform diagnostic tests that would normally be run in a full-scale clinical laboratory.

Pathologists and clinical biochemists will want to visit the website of Biosense Technologies to check out this mobile application, which is called uCheck. Biosense is a medical device company located in Mumbai, India. (more…)

More Physician Use of EHRs Could Increase Medical Malpractice Claims

Because they provide medical lab test results to EHRs, clinical labs and pathologists are often named in medical malpractice lawsuits

Some experts predict that the great expansion in the number of physicians using electronic health record (EHR) systems may trigger an increase in medical malpractice lawsuits. Were this were to happen, clinical laboratories and pathology group practices might find themselves also named in such lawsuits because they provided the medical laboratory test results that populated the patient’s EHR.

Concern about an increase in medical malpractice claims surfaced in response to the speed at which the federal government is pushing physicians to implement and use electronic health record (EHR) systems as required under the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). For example, federal officials are directing hospitals to implement EHRs that fulfill the Act’s Meaningful Use (MU) requirements by 2012. (more…)

Prices of Clinical Pathology Laboratories Are Rising Due to Buyer Demand

Conference on May 5 about clinical laboratory and pathology mergers and acquisitions

For owners and sellers of clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology groups in the United States, the past six months have been rosy times. That’s because buyers have stepped up and paid strong prices for the medical laboratory companies and pathology testing firms that came to market during this time.

Experts predict that merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the clinical laboratory industry will continue to be robust. Several factors reinforce this optimistic prediction.

(more…)

Sunquest Information Systems Acquired by Huntsman Gay Capital in $208 Million Deal

Clinical Laboratory and Pathology Customers Will See Few Changes Under New Ownership

Sunquest Information Systems, Inc., has a new owner. Earlier this month, an investment consortium led by Huntsman Gay Capital paid an estimated $208 million to acquire a 51% controlling interest in Sunquest, which is based in Tucson, Arizona. Sunquest’s previous owner, Vista Equity Partners, will retain the remaining 49% of Sunquest’s stock and continue as a minority owner.

Sunquest’s flagship product is a laboratory information system (LIS) that is used by many clinical laboratory companies and hospital/health system laboratories in the United States and a number of other countries. It also sells an anatomic pathology information system, as well as other health informatics software products. The company says it has 1,400 hospital and medical laboratory customers worldwide. (more…)

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