Volume XXIX
September 2022

Full Focus: Preparing Your Lab for Monkeypox Testing

Earlier this year, public health authorities in the U.S. and Europe alerted the public to the global proliferation of Monkeypox, a long-neglected disease that until this year was primarily limited to the areas of Western and Central Africa where the virus is endemic. However, as of Sept. 20, 2022, 104 countries have reported more than 62,000 cases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease has also been declared a Public Health Emergency in the U.S., which leads the world in total confirmed cases with more than 23,000.

Given these developments, U.S. clinical labs should prepare to offer a testing solution to patients who may have been infected with Monkeypox. During this webinar, our Lab Management Team will review the FDA's guidance for validating Monkeypox testing and provide a step-by-step overview of how to validate testing in your lab.
Preparing Your Lab for Monkeypox Testing webinar
LATEST NEWS
1. Why Understanding Lab Director State Requirements is Crucial

It’s no secret clinical laboratories and pathology groups are currently experiencing a shortage of qualified candidates to staff their facilities and maintain business as usual.

While this environment can be attributed to a multitude of factors, the issue only further exacerbates the difficulties lab owners face when trying to hire CLIA Lab Directors or other designated roles to maintain compliance with CMS.

Understanding State Personnel Requirements for Clinical Labs
2. Case Study: Regular Charge Fee Schedule Review

Lighthouse's RCM Consulting team recently identified a client who had their fee schedule set at a rate that was lower than some payer fee schedules. When we reviewed the payer allowable compared to the rate the group was charging, we determined that the group could have increased their revenue for the year in review by several thousand dollars if they had aligned their rates according to the payer allowable.

Check out the full case study to learn more about how routine fee schedule reviews can help ensure you're maximizing revenue.
3. Should DCLS Qualify to Become High-Complexity Lab Directors?

Some medical laboratory advocacy organizations, such as CAP, recently expressed to CMS that individuals who hold a Doctorate of Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS) degree should not be qualified to serve as high-complexity Lab Directors, stating that a DCLS is not an acceptable doctoral degree. But how do DCLS graduates feel about this announcement?

In this video, Dr. Melissa Bell, DCLS, shares her response to these statements and elaborates on why she believes DCLS graduates are qualified to serve as Medical Lab Directors with proper accreditation.
Can DCLS holders become medical lab directors
4. How Does High Turnover Among Lab Professionals Affect Patient Health?

The Great Resignation and an overall lack of new medical lab professionals have made the pre-existing staffing shortage in the lab industry worse. In this video, Tara Luellen, Vice President of Lab Director Services, goes into detail about the impact this problem is having on patient health, while also sharing the ways in which different generations approach their work and how labs can recruit and retain accordingly.
Deep Dive: How Much Does it Cost to Build a Clinical Lab?
How Much Does it Cost to Build a Clinical Lab
Whether you are a physician who is part of the growing trend to move clinical laboratory testing into your clinic, or an entrepreneur seeking to start a new independent medical lab, you likely have questions about the true cost of building a clinical lab.

While starting your own in-house lab can lead to improved turnaround times and more accurate results, some of the first questions we’re often asked pertain to estimated costs. Fortunately, Lighthouse's extensive experience building labs for existing physician practices and local communities has provided us with intimate knowledge of what every aspect of a desired lab buildout will cost.
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Neil Gerber Director of Sales Operations
“There are countless variables and regulations to consider when exploring the question of how much it costs to build a clinical laboratory and exact pricing will depend upon the type of lab you intend to start.”

-- Neil Gerber, Director of Sales Operations, Lighthouse Lab Services
UPCOMING CONFERENCES WE'RE ATTENDING
1. Pain Society of the Carolinas Annual Meeting

Sept. 23-25, 2022, Asheville, NC.

2. College of American Pathologists Annual Meeting

Oct. 8-11, 2022, New Orleans, LA.
CLIA Lab Director Openings
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The Lab Insighter is a monthly publication for Lab Owners and Decision Makers.