May 24, 2013 | Digital Pathology, Instruments & Equipment, Laboratory Instruments & Laboratory Equipment, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology
New discoveries demonstrate important advantages of whole-genome sequencing in investigations of DNA ‘dark matter’ and shed light on the possible origins of cancer
Whole-genome scanning of cancer cells revealed significant mutations in the “dark matter” areas of melanoma DNA. This represents a leap forward in the basic science of cancer. Easier access to whole-genome sequencing means that researchers are poised to mine a rich vein of data that will shine a light on how cells malfunction.
For pathologists and clinical laboratory managers, these new research findings hold the promise to open up another approach to using the data in whole human genomes for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. It also shows one more practical outcome from the rapidly falling cost of sequencing DNA. (more…)
May 22, 2013 | Coding, Billing, and Collections, Laboratory Hiring & Human Resources, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology, Managed Care Contracts & Payer Reimbursement, Management & Operations
Smaller community laboratories serve many of the nation’s nursing homes and long-term care facilities, and ongoing medical lab fee cuts are having major negative consequences
DATELINE: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA—Last week, the National Independent Laboratory Association (NILA), in conjunction with the Association of American Bioanalysts (AAB), conducted its annual conference here. It was a useful snapshot on the state of health for independent community lab companies, particularly given the different reimbursement environment for clinical laboratory testing.
NILA’s members are primarily community clinical laboratories. They generate revenue anywhere from $1 million per year to around $100 million per year. It is believed that there are between 150 and 200 of these types of lab companies across the United States. Further, within the towns and cities they serve, these are often the only medical laboratory organizations that fill important testing niches that were abandoned years ago by the national public lab companies. (more…)
May 15, 2013 | Instruments & Equipment, Laboratory Instruments & Laboratory Equipment, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology
PCR testing moves out of the clinical pathology laboratory and into a teen-aged boy’s bedroom laboratory
In a demonstration of how evolving technologies make it easier and cheaper to operate clinical laboratories, a teen-age boy in Yorkshire, England, has built his own DNA analyzer and identified the gene mutation that gives his brother red hair.
That demonstration allowed Fred Turner, age 17, to silence the endless teasing from friends about how he and his red-haired brother, Gus, probably had different fathers. It also won for Fred the award of “UK Young Engineer of the Year 2013.” (more…)
May 13, 2013 | Instruments & Equipment, Laboratory Instruments & Laboratory Equipment, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology
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…)
May 10, 2013 | Instruments & Equipment, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology
Today, cheap and accurate mechanical pipettes are used by clinical pathology laboratories, although mouth pipetting, a dangerous medical lab practice, is still used in developing nations
Mouth pipetting was the topic of a recent blog published by Body Horrors. The blogger recalled a time when clinical laboratory professionals routinely mouth pipetted specimens.
Mouth pipetting is the practice of using one’s mouth to suck a desired volume of a medical laboratory specimen–blood, urine, cell cultures and other microbial stews–into an open-ended tube, using the reduced air pressure created by sucking to hold the specimen in place while moving it to another vessel. (more…)
May 3, 2013 | Laboratory Hiring & Human Resources, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology, Laboratory Sales and Marketing
Agreement calls for both parties to collaborate in offering esoteric and reference anatomic pathology services nationally
It is an effort to align their clinical laboratory and anatomic pathology services to the evolving needs of hospitals, physicians and other providers. To achieve this goal, two laboratory organizations in the Pacific Northwest finalized months of negotiations and inked an agreement that involves an equity investment and the creation of a new esoteric anatomic pathology collaboration.
Yesterday, PAML, LLC, of Spokane, Washington, and CellNetix, based in Seattle, Washington, announced that PAML had completed a minority investment in the technical laboratory business division owned by CellNetix. The two companies also stated that they entered into an agreement to work together to form a “jointly owned national Esoteric Anatomic Pathology reference laboratory offering.” (more…)
