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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Illumina Is Using Acquisitions to Challenge Roche in Fast-growing Market for Gene-based Clinical Pathology Laboratory Testing

Hot competition for genetic testing market share is a signal to medical laboratories to ramp up their molecular and genetic testing capabilities

Financial analysts see something of an “old west” style shootout on the horizon for genetic testing in the clinical laboratory testing market. Market leaders in next-generation gene sequencing are prepared to use acquisitions to build dominant shares in a gene testing market that experts say could hit $25 billion by 2022.

Reporters at Bloomberg Businessweek believe that San Diego-based Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) is girding up to take on industry giant Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX). Both Illumina and Life Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:LIFE) are buying up smaller players in the gene testing market.

These two market leaders in DNA sequencing equipment have played important roles in revolutionizing genetic testing. Now, they intend to stake out a share of the fast-growing genetic diagnostics market themselves, a recent Businessweek story reported. (more…)

Some Clinical Laboratories Report Drop in Average Number of Tests-Per-Patient

Medical laboratories and pathology groups can participate in national survey about changes in average revenue-per-requisition and average number of tests-per-requisition

Across the country, a number of clinical laboratory organizations have privately told The Dark Report editorial team that they have experienced a decline in the average number of lab tests-per-requisition over the past 18 months. Since the sample size is so small, it would be inappropriate to conclude that the experience of these labs reflects a national trend.

At the same time, even though this data is anecdotal and from a handful of lab organizations, it could be an early sign of an important shift in lab test utilization by clinicians. In recent years, employers, private payers, and the Medicare/Medicaid programs have initiated a variety of initiatives that have the common goal of encouraging physicians to more wisely utilize medical laboratory tests.

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IBM Watson Picks Advisory Board—but No Pathologist

Clinical laboratory managers and pathologists have an opportunity to expand the presence of laboratory medicine

IBM (NYSE: IBM) recently issued a press release announcing its new Watson Healthcare Advisory Board (WHAB). The board is comprised of healthcare leaders with a broad range of research, medical and business expertise. Unfortunately, that expertise does not include pathology or specialists in laboratory medicine.

Watson represents a technology breakthrough that can help physicians improve patient outcomes,” said Herbert Chase, M.D., Professor of Clinical Medicine (in Biomedical Informatics) at Columbia University, in a recent IBM press release. “As IBM focuses its efforts on key areas including oncology, cardiology and other chronic diseases, the advisory board will be integral to helping align the business strategy to the specific needs of the industry.”
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Experts Predict Explosive Growth in Molecular Diagnostics and Next-Generation Gene Sequencing for Clinical Pathology Laboratories

Upcoming Executive War College conference features experts on molecular and genetic testing

Explosive rates of growth in clinical use of molecular diagnostics assays seen in recent years are about to be matched by a new opportunity for medical laboratory testing. Experts predict the coming “big thing” in clinical laboratory and anatomic pathology will be next-generation gene sequencing (NGS).

This should be welcome news for financially-beleaguered pathology groups and clinical lab organizations. Lab tests that incorporate next-generation gene sequencing technologies are expected to offer clinicians greater value by making it possible to more accurately detect and characterize disease at earlier stages. For this reason, these lab tests are expected to be adequately reimbursed by most government and private payers.

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National Survey of Clinical Pathology Laboratory Executive Salaries to Be Presented at 17th Annual Executive War College on Lab and Path Management

Trends in salary, compensation, and benefits is nation’s oldest for medical laboratory CEOs, executives, and administrators

For the fourth consecutive year, a reliable national survey of compensation trends for clinical laboratory executives, administrators, directors, pathologists, and managers was conducted. The first findings of this survey will be presented on May 1 at the Executive War College on Laboratory and Pathology Management in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Slone Partners of Miami Beach, Florida, national recruitment experts for the diagnostic laboratory industry, and The Dark Report once again collaborated to produce what is fast-becoming the nation’s most comprehensive national survey of trends in compensation, benefits, and perks paid to senior executives, lab administrators, lab managers, pathologists, and Ph.D.s working in the United States. (more…)

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