Dark Daily is reporting that federal attorneys have agreed to destroy the clinical pathology laboratory bid documents that had been submitted as part of the Medicare Part B Laboratory Competitive Bidding Demonstration Project that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) attempted to implement in 2008.
This appears to be the final chapter in this ill-conceived project.
The June 2010 edition of AACC’s Clinical Laboratory News has a very good article on the impact of the Healthcare Reform Bill recently passed by Congress and how it will effect the Clinical Laboratory industry.
Dark Daily has an interesting article on how pathology labs and clinical laboratories are gearing up to deliver laboratory results to smart phones.
“Recent surveys show that physicians increasingly use their smart phones and other mobile devices to view test results and communicate with patients.”
I will be attending the upcoming ASCLS Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo in Anaheim, CA the week of July 26th. This conference is a great opportunity to get some excellent continuing education, network with colleagues and see the latest in clinical laboratory technology so if you have never attended you should definitely put this on your list of things to do. And the setting, in Anaheim and close to Disneyland, makes this a wonderful place to take along your family and get see the sights.
I have recently started a new Labor implementation for Wellspring+Stockamp in California that should run through the end on August. Looking forward to working with the new client and spending some time in sunny California.
In addition to attending ThinkLab ’10 in Las Vegas this week, this Friday I will be presenting the opening Keynote session for the ASCLS-Idaho Spring Meeting in Pocatello, Idaho. This session, entitled “Facing the Future,” looks a the past, present and future of the clinical laboratory, and will include an ASCLS Update.
I’m looking forward to seeing all of my ASCLS-Idaho friends in Pocatello this week.
I will be attending the upcoming CLMA ThinkLab ’10 in Las Vegas May 3-6, 2010. ThinkLab is always a great opportunity to get some Lab Management focused CE, and for networking with lab and outreach directors and other consultants from around the country. Looking forward to seeing all my CLMA friends, and of course, Vegas is a great setting for a few days away.
I will be attending the Clinical Laboratory Collaborative Conference (CLCC) in Denver on April 22 and 23. This conference is a collaboration by four clinical laboratory professional groups, ASCLS-Colorado, ASCLS-Wyoming, Colorado Centennial CLMA and the Colorado Association for Clinical Medical Laboratory Education (CACMLE) and provides an excellent program of continuing education, with speakers from all over the country. In addition, it’s a great opportunity to network with colleagues and vendors. If you live or work anywhere near the Denver area you should definitely consider attending.
You can download the program and venue information from the CLCC website. Online registration is available.
I will be the Keynote speaker at the upcoming ASCLS-Montana spring meeting in Missoula, MT on Thursday, April 15th. My presentation, entitled “Exploring the Rivers of Change – The (Past), Present & Future of the Clinical Laboratory” will provide an update on what has been happening with ASCLS this past year and what ASCLS is doing to address the personnel shortage, to promote the clinical laboratory profession by “Putting a Face” on the laboratory, the collaborative efforts of ASCLS and other laboratory professional groups in the legislative arena and a discussion of the recent Healthcare Reform bill and what it means for the clinical laboratory.
We will also discuss the recent NCA/BOR merger and what that means for laboratory scientists. In addition, we’ll take a look at the current state of the laboratory and make some educated guesses as to what we might see in the future.
Incidentally, if you live or work in a laboratory related field in Montana the ASCLS-Montana Spring Meeting provides a great opportunity to socialize with friends, network with vendors and get some excellent continuing education at a great price, all in the beautiful setting that Missoula provides. For more information visit the ASCLS-Montana website.
I will be attending the ASCLS Interim Board Meeting & Laboratory Legislative Symposium in Washington, DC this weekend.
At the Legislative Symposium, ASCLS works with CLMA, ASCP, and AMT to meet with our Representatives and Senators on Capitol Hill as a unified front on behalf of our profession. If you have never done this before it is a great opportunity to learn first hand what the legislative issues are related to the laboratory, and for you to visit Washington to visit your Senators and Representatives to provide a visible and informed voice and make our concerns known inside Congress!