Optimizing the strategic value of your lab: Q&A with Noel Maring

Noel Maring, executive director of health systems at Labcorp, answers questions healthcare executives may have around optimizing the strategic value of their lab. 

How lab trends and an evolving healthcare landscape are shaping health systems' lab strategies

Historically, laboratories have been regarded as cost centers despite their key role in driving health outcomes and hospital revenues. Now that outlook is starting to change.

Population health tools: How lab data can help manage hepatitis C

Hepatitis C (Hep C or HCV) is a significant public health concern in the United States, with an estimated 2.4 million people living with the virus. Approximately 80% of people with hepatitis C have no symptoms and can live for years without knowing they have it. For the remaining 20%, symptoms can include poor appetite, nausea, vomiting and fever. As a result, there is no independent indication for a provider to order hepatitis C testing. Using Labcorp's population health tool, Insight Analytics, providers can generate a list of patients missing confirmatory testing. Providers can then contact individual patients to arrange a confirmatory test and follow-up care. 

How lab data can inform health equity care models: FAQ with Labcorp and CHESS Health Solutions

Robert Schmidt, MD, PhD, MBA, medical director for health systems and head of population analytics at Labcorp, and Melissa Pollock, MDiv, CHC, director of ACO compliance and regulatory affairs for CHESS Health Solutions, answer common questions around health equity, ACO REACH, strategies and interventions, as well as discuss how a diagnostics partner such as Labcorp can help ACOs make an impact.

How health screening events are helping to overcome barriers to health equity

On a bright February morning, Dr. Fabian Sandoval, MD, stepped into a Labcorp mobile health clinic parked outside the El Salvadoran Consulate in Washington, D.C. Recording a short video on his smartphone, the Colombian doctor highlighted the features of the unit and sent out a broadcast message in Spanish for people to come learn more about their health.

How two Labcorp physicians are training the next generation of pathologists

Pathologists play a major role in healthcare, but not everyone knows just how big a part they really play. That’s because pathologists often operate behind the scenes, providing diagnoses on a wide variety of tissue samples and performing clinical interpretation of laboratory results. They can also hold key leadership roles in laboratory quality systems and laboratory regulations. To put it simply, their work is vital to diagnosing, treating and curing disease. However, the number of pathologists in the U.S. decreased by almost 18% between 2007 and 2017, according to a National Institutes of Health survey. At the same time, the workload per pathologist increased by almost 42%. Dr. Brian Poirier, medical director of coagulation and endocrinology laboratories at Labcorp Esoteric Business Unit (EBU) Labs, and Dr. Deborah Sesok-Pizzini, chief medical officer at Labcorp Diagnostics, knew something had to be done.

Lab stewardship program reduces unnecessary costs and improves patient care

A large, Chicago-based FQHC network wanted to optimize efficiency of testing, improve patient care and provide better, more accurate testing for their highrisk population, while also eliminating unnecessary testing expenses. The network, however, faced a lack of population health analytics tools and limited funding to invest in developing their own.

Using clinical lab data to improve diabetes outcomes in underserved populations

More than 37 million Americans (more than 11% of the population) have diabetes.1 This statistic alone highlights the need to improve patient care, especially in underserved populations where incidence of the disease is high.

Lab partnership reduces gaps in care and improves quality performance

A little more than 20 years ago, care delivery in California started to change. Large-scale independent physician associations (IPAs)—such as the subject of this case study—began taking on full-risk commercial contracts. These contracts, similar to more recent Medicare and ACO programs, were meant to improve patient care and reduce overall costs in a densely populated state. Since 2005, one large, California-based IPA has partnered with Labcorp to conduct yearly fecal occult blood test (FOBT) gap closure programs with a proven return track record of 30-40%. The success of this program is a result of the IPA care coordination team leveraging Labcorp’s data to identify patients with screening gaps and coordinate distribution of FIT testing home kits for patient collection. This made it easier for patients to fulfill screening, particularly in underserved populations.

Analytics lets labs offset staffing woes

For hospital laboratories confronting worker shortages, data analytics can be useful for improving workflows and determining effective staffing levels. This information can also induce changes that may improve employee morale. Two experts from Visiun, a Labcorp subsidiary, discuss three analytics reports that should be available for clinical lab managers juggling staffing concerns.