The introduction of two new hospital facilities in the US marks the beginning of a shift in the healthcare industry. According to a recent news release from Dark Daily, a nationwide change from inpatient- to outpatient-based treatment approaches has resulted in the construction of “bedless hospitals.” In preparation for changes due to the ...

There’s that famous saying, “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” I think it can be applied to any quality, especially leadership. As a kid, I always thought it was something people were just born with in the same way that some people are just athletic and others are just funny. I think we all ...

I recently ran the Disney marathon -- It was magical. Also, long. After the race, I proceeded to consume my weight in fried food and chocolate for about a week until I finally evened out and started eating like a normal person again. Of course, I’ve written about endurance athletics before (I used small pieces of Clif Bar instead of energy ...

I've discussed the possibility of genetic discrimination before. As a matter of fact, there’s even a federal law prohibiting health insurers from denying coverage based on an applicant’s genetic code -- the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), as NPR noted in a recent story -- but apparently genetic discrimination might be ...

Have you seen these lists of common tests and treatments that are often unnecessary--or even harmful? In an effort to reduce the costs of unnecessary healthcare measures, nine specialty groups developed their own lists of Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question, and the results are pretty interesting. Below, I've included just a ...

Having just returned from HIMSS, I’m still revved by the exciting technologies and movement in the healthcare IT industry. Mobility seemed to be a reoccurring theme, as well as longevity and the ability to adapt to regulations and changing paradigms. It’s exciting to hear, for example, how molecular diagnostics data is being embraced and better ...

‘Companion diagnostics’ is a term that’s been in the news recently as more drug/big pharma and diagnostic developers partner to focus on technical/scientific advances in predictive biomarker identifications and development and subsequent commercialization. And heavy hitters like Siemens, Roche, Vantana, Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline, to name only a ...

Although National Medical Laboratory Professionals week is two months away, I hope by now your plans to celebrate the teamwork, dedication and achievements of your staff are well under way. (If not, be sure to check out the special NMLPW on our web site for ideas!) After all, it’s their commitment to quality and improving their skills that allows ...

The National Priorities Partnership (NPP), a group of healthcare leaders convened by the National Quality Forum (NQF), just released case studies addressing application of priorities for improving healthcare.  Specifically, the case studies explore ways various priority areas are reflected in organizational processes, plans or policies, or ...

What ails you? Not as a patient, but as the leader of a clinical laboratory. Although we’ve just begun 2012, we’re gearing up to present a custom-developed December 2012 digital issue. What do I mean by “custom-developed?” The entire issue will be devoted to topics you request. While it’s never easy to admit where improvements are needed or ...