Jan 7, 2013 | Digital Pathology, Instruments & Equipment, Laboratory Instruments & Laboratory Equipment, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Existing unstructured anatomic pathology reports would directly benefit from novel word disambiguation approach under development at MIT
Unstructured medical laboratory data is widely recognized to be one significant hurdle on the path toward the universal electronic health record (EHR). This is particularly true for anatomic pathology reports. Despite advances in synoptic reporting, to date, few pathology groups and clinical laboratories have developed ways to resolve this problem.
Now there is news of a different approach toward unstructured healthcare data. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a system for algorithmically distinguishing words with multiple possible meanings. The new approach could help find useful information buried in electronic medical records (EHR). (more…)
Jul 25, 2011 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Mayo Clinic to support one of China’s largest clinical laboratory companies
In a trans-Pacific Ocean collaboration with major implications, two important players in clinical laboratory and anatomic pathology testing in their respective countries have inked a multi-year pact. On June 27, 2011, Mayo Clinic of Rochester, Minnesota, announced its agreement with Wuhan Kindstar Globalgene Technology, Inc. (Kindstar), of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
In the press release it issued about the agreement, Mayo Clinic said that it would support Kindstar by providing “specialized laboratory support based on provision of knowledge from Mayo Clinic’s Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology and its reference laboratory, Mayo Medical Laboratories.” Mayo Clinic also said that it will receive equity in Kindstar and had participated in Kindstar’s Series B financing, which raised approximately U.S. $11 million.
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Jun 29, 2011 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
These annual rankings show that the nation’s largest healthcare systems continue to grow in revenue and bed count
When it comes to the nation’s largest healthcare systems, it is no surprise that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) tops the list, at least when ranked by annual revenue. That is the finding of a “Top 10” survey of healthcare systems recently published by Modern Healthcare magazine.
This survey is useful to pathologists and clinical laboratory managers because these “Top 10” healthcare system rankings also provide insight as to where the nation’s largest hospital-based laboratory organizations can be found. For example, the VA operates 164 acute-care hospitals. That represents a large volume of clinical laboratory testing for those inpatients.
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Jun 21, 2011 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology, News From Dark Daily
Major healthcare stakeholders speaking out with criticisms of federal ACO rules
It may be that the Obama administration bit off more than it can chew with its first release of proposed rules for Accountable Care Organizations (ACO). Lining up in opposition to these rules is an impressive list of the nation’s most respected healthcare organizations. Included are Mayo Clinic, Geisinger Health System, Cleveland Clinic, and Intermountain Healthcare.
Pathologists and clinical laboratory managers will undoubtedly recognize the significance of this opposition. Health officials within the Obama administration have regularly stated that ACOs should be organized to deliver the same type of tightly integrated healthcare that is the standard at Mayo Clinic, Geisinger Health, Cleveland Clinic, and Intermountain Health. Thus, it is not auspicious for the Obama administration that these four institutions are making public statements that, under the ACO rules as now written, they are not inclined to participate.
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May 27, 2011 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Mobile health devices can allow physicians to consult with pathologists in real time
Mobile-health technology (mHealth) is the hot ticket with physicians. The advent of mobile computing, smartphones, and iPad-types of devices are fueling a strong demand by physicians for mobile apps that can help them receive alerts, stay informed of patient progress, access lab test results, and contact patients.
This is a swift-moving trend and clinical laboratory managers will want to develop information technology (IT) strategies to serve this keen interest by physicians to use their mobile-health devices to order medical laboratory tests and receive laboratory test results.
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