Dec 6, 2010 | Digital Pathology, Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Clinical laboratories and pathologists play important roles in these efforts to collect, store, and analyze DNA.
Increasingly, pathologists and clinical laboratories are playing a role in genetic research and biobanking by providing specimens. One credible example of this expanding trend is found at The Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. Its biobank wants to gather genetic material from 20,000 participants.
The biobank has already collected specimens from more than 8,300 patients who come from Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, the Dakotas, and other states. Mayo researchers are analyzing this genetic material to support research projects on heart disease, leukemia and cancers of the breast, the colon, and the lungs.
This effort is of interest to clinical laboratory managers and pathologists because it demonstrates how biobanking is evolving into a more sophisticated, even interactive endeavor that connects researchers with the sources of the specimens. At Mayo, pathologists and researchers are interacting with patients in ways that were not previously possible. Mayo’s biobank venture has a Community Advisory Board (CAB), for example, to ensure that the voice of the community is heard in the development of the biobank’s policies.
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Aug 25, 2010 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Topping the list are, the Veterans Administration and HCA, which together employee almost 200,000 people
Recently, a ranking of the nation’s top 25 healthcare systems by number of employees was published. In the number one spot is the Veteran’s Affairs (VA) Department. It employs 207,000 employees. Ranked number two is HCA, Inc., the for-profit hospital corporation. It has 77,000 employees.
Pathologists and clinical laboratory managers will recognize that both the VA and HCA are national healthcare systems. By contrast, New York-Presbyterian Healthcare System ranks number five on the list with 55,048 employees and its locations are clustered in and around New York City.
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Dec 11, 2009 | Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Noted Humorist Garrison Keillor Encounters the Truth of Inadequate Funding for Clinical Laboratory Testing Services
It is widely recognized by pathologists and clinical laboratory managers in the United States and abroad that medical laboratory testing is a “high touch” clinical service. Each day, lots of patients interact with laboratory professionals to provide specimens. Physicians know that their own successful medical practice is dependent on a smooth-functioning and high-quality pathology testing service that delivers accurate, reliable lab test results.
Another truth in today’s healthcare system is selective underfunding of certain clinical laboratory testing services in the United States. In this country, pathologists and clinical lab managers are all too familiar with this situation. What might be at the top of the list of inadequately-reimbursed laboratory procedures is venipuncture. It has been years since Medicare, Medicaid, and private payers have reimbursed the venipuncture procedure at a level that is close to the cost of providing that service to patients.
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Nov 13, 2009 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Rankings based on annual revenue and the Veterans’ Administration tops the list
When Dark Daily recently published a list of the Top Ten Largest Medical Groups in the United States, not only was it a popular topic, but many readers asked us to present a similar list for healthcare systems. Dark Daily is glad to oblige and presents below a list of the Top Ten Largest Healthcare Systems in the United States, ranked on annual revenue.
This ranking of the Top Ten Biggest Healthcare Systems includes government healthcare systems, not-for-profit healthcare systems, and for-profit healthcare systems. As you will see, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs holds down the number one position, with annual revenue of $40.7 billion. Coming in second on this ranking is HCA, Inc., with annual revenue of $28.4 billion. Of the ten largest healthcare systems, three are owned by Catholic organizations and three are for-profit hospital corporations.
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Sep 21, 2009 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Hospitals Opening Retail Clinics to Capture Greater Market Share
Walk-in rapid medical clinics in retail stores are so popular with consumers that now hospitals want in on the action. Some of the nation’s most famous hospitals have inked agreements to put their brand on rapid clinics located inside many of the country’s largest retail and pharmacy chains.
Hospital-branded rapid clinics are inside 25 Wal-Mart stores nationally, according to a New York Times article. Additionally, Cleveland Clinic lent its brand to CVS drugstore clinics in northern Ohio, Mayo Clinic is operating Express Care clinics inside a supermarket and shopping mall in Rochester, Minnesota, and there are others. In fact, one in 10 retail clinics are now connected to a hospital, and more are planned, according to Merchant Medicine News, an online newsletter for the clinic industry.
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