Oct 1, 2009 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology, News From Dark Daily
Growing interest in Quality Management Systems (QMS) surfaces at Lab Quality Confab
DATELINE: ATLANTA, GA—From nine countries around the world, several hundred clinical laboratory and pathology quality experts gathered in Atlanta this week for the third annual Lab Quality Confab. Dominating the sessions are impressive success stories from laboratories using Lean, Six Sigma, and similar quality management approaches.
Today is the last day of this high-energy gathering. At least two valuable insights emerged from the collective comments of more than 40 speakers—all of who spoke about different ways that their clinical labs, pathology groups, and hospitals are using Lean, Six Sigma, ISO, and the like to advance the quality of care and the service performance of their organizations.
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Sep 17, 2009 | Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory Pathology
Lean Six Sigma and other methods helping laboratories cut costs and boost quality
“Cash is King!” aptly describes how most clinical labs and pathology groups are working to squeeze additional cost savings from operations during the final months of 2009. In fact, with a full quarter left in the year, nimble lab executives and managers still have plenty of remaining time to implement cost-saving initiatives that can produce savings of several tens of thousands of dollars less than budgeted spending before December 31, 2009.
That makes it perfect that the 3rd annual Lab Quality Confab on Quality Management in Diagnostic Medicine takes place on September 29-30, 2009 at the Hilton Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. For lab managers serious about producing substantial results during the fourth quarter of 2009, the Confab is the ultimate one-stop resource for Lean, Six Sigma, ISO, and all the tools and tricks of rapid process improvement (RPI).
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Sep 14, 2009 | Laboratory Pathology, Managed Care Contracts & Payer Reimbursement
As health insurers build patient-friendly web sites, they now want all the lab test data
For laboratories wanting to contract with managed care plans, it will soon be “all about the data.” In upcoming contract renewal talks, expect health insurers to have a keen interest in working specifically with those clinical laboratories and pathology groups which can interface and electronically provide lab test data.
Dark Daily is first to identify this important development. It creates an opportunity for local laboratories to contribute added value to payers in their region. There is a specific reason for this increased interest. Health insurers are building information-rich Web sites for their insured beneficiaries. It is now important for them to have laboratory test data that they can use to populate the digital health record of their beneficiaries.
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Jun 23, 2009 | Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory Pathology
Acquisition adds more companion diagnostics to LabCorp’s molecular test menu
Here’s another validation of the prediction that companion diagnostics will be a cornerstone of personalized medicine. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (NYSE: LH) of Burlington, North Carolina, said Tuesday (June 23) it would acquire Monogram Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGRM) of South San Francisco, California. In an all cash deal totaling $106.7 million, LabCorp will pay $4.55 per share.
“Monogram Biosciences, Inc., has an excellent clinical reputation, a market leading infectious disease test, a market leading companion diagnostic, an exciting technology platform for oncology, and offers LabCorp a substantial growth opportunity,” said David P. King, LabCorp’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
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May 14, 2009 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
It may be that personalized medicine is becoming one of those All-American icons, like apple pie and mom. That’s because personalized medicine, as a concept and goal for the American healthcare system, seems to have universal support. If true, this is a positive long-term development for clinical laboratories and pathology groups.
Take the new president, for example. Barack Obama has long contended that personalized medicine must be at the heart of health care reform. “The issue of getting the right treatment to the right person goes with his [Obama’s] whole emphasis on health reform,” said Mark McClellan, who headed the FDA and Medicare under the Bush Administration. McClellan was speaking about President Obama during an interview with MSNBC. “If we’re thinking about reforming the healthcare system, we should be thinking about what medicine will be like down the road when healthcare reform is fully implemented,” observed McClellan during his MSNBC interview.
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