Full Focus: How is the CLIA Lab Market Evolving Over Time?
After experiencing booming growth during the Covid pandemic, the number of overall CLIA labs in the United States experienced a decline, with 2023 marking the highest rate of closures in nearly 30 years. With this in mind, what can analyzing the number of active CLIA licenses and other available data tell stakeholders about the direction of the industry as a whole as labs look to rebound?
Join us at noon EDT on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, as we welcome LabProspects.com to share proprietary data that offers unique insight into the overall health of the CLIA lab industry and explores growth trends dating back to 1988. This event will shed light on the total number of active CLIAs and the industry’s current trajectory as we answer the question of whether this is a fertile time of growth for the lab space.
We will discuss and analyze:
- The current number of active CLIA labs in the US.
- Number of labs by type (independent, hospital-based, etc.)
- Lab trends pre- and post-Covid. How did this period impact growth and closures?
- Is the industry currently growing or shrinking?
- How should lab owners use this knowledge to enhance their business?
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1. Responding to the Change Healthcare Cyberattack
The Feb. 21 cyberattack on Change Healthcare has rocked the healthcare industry and upended billing for countless providers and organizations. While the fallout and response will continue to be assessed in the months to come, what can be learned from this attack about safeguarding your claims data, and how should impacted providers respond now?
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2. Comments on LDT Regulation Sought by Senate HELP Committee
Still hoping to weigh in on regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs) and the FDA's plan for oversight? Now may be one of your final chances to sound off: Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, is seeking feedback from stakeholders on ways to improve the regulation of clinical tests as part of this ongoing conversation.
According to a statement from his office, Cassidy hopes to use the feedback on how Congress can modernize current regulations to support innovation while ensuring these clinical tests are safe and effective to use. Read more in the announcement here.
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3. Save $200 on Executive War College with Code: "LLS200"
Still need to sign up for this year's Executive War College in New Orleans? Use code "LLS200" to save $200 off your registration fee!
Lighthouse President Jon Harol and Lab Director Dr. Lindsay Strotman, PhD, NRCC will be attending and hosting a CLIA Lab Director workshop that will provide an overview of the current regulatory landscape and hiring environment. We hope to see you there!
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4. Alternative Split Sample Assessment
Did you know CLIA requires a biannual assessment of your laboratory's testing accuracy and reliability? Alternative Split Sample Assessment (also referred to as Alternative Proficiency Testing) is the determination of a lab’s testing performance for analytes when a commercial assessment program is not readily available.
Lighthouse's Alternative Split Sample Assessment program provides a menu of hard-to-find analytes to ensure this task is no longer a burden on your laboratory. If you're interested in any of the analytes below, don't hesitate to reach out to us by replying to this email!
LLS Alternative Split Sample Assessment Offerings for 2024:
- Toxicology (Urine)
- Ethanol (Urine)
- Nail
- Wound
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The Lighthouse "Candidate Corner" is a recurring monthly spotlight featuring some of the great lab professionals our recruiters work with each day. Check out a quick preview of one individual below, then click over to our blog to see all five candidates for March.
If you'd like to learn more about anyone listed in this section, or inquire about their ability to relocate, email us directly here!
Candidate - Medical Technologist
- Education/Certifications:
- B.A. in Medical Technology (ASCP)
- Experience/Expertise/Specialty:
- Core Lab
- Prefers Microbiology or Molecular
- Preferred Location:
- City or metro area
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1. How to Minimize Denials with Front-End Edits
As labs and healthcare facilities strive for financial optimization, the importance of being able to quickly adjust your claims with front-end edits can be a game changer for reducing denials.
To illustrate this point, our RCM Solutions Team recently delved into the denial patterns of two of our large clients within the same state to show the positive impact front-end editing systems have on the overall collections process.
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2. Using Billing Data to Compare Commercial Lab Reimbursements
Recently, an RCM client asked if we could determine their commercial reimbursement rate as a percentage of Medicare for CPT 88305. By analyzing their data with our AI-assisted RCM Spotlight tool, we performed a comparison of payer reimbursements for this provider within the same geographic area to ensure that each payer’s rates are competitive within the marketplace.
The data confirmed commercial payers for this client are allowing an average of 239% of Medicare’s allowable for 88305 services!
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3. The Importance of TC Modifiers in Pathology Billing
As we continue to optimize our clients’ billing practices, it is crucial to ensure they have a clear understanding of the use of the TC (Technical Component) modifier, especially in situations where a pathology group bills only the PC (professional component) and is not directly employed by the hospital.
Despite a common perception that hospitals universally represent only the technical portion of a procedure, the application of the TC modifier is critical in providing a clear breakdown of services and adherence to billing regulations.
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Deep Dive: Tips for Attracting New Lab Talent While Supporting and Retaining Your Current Staff |
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At the annual Lab 2.0 conference in Chicago last month, it was noted that the clinical lab industry is now over 150,000 workers short of what is needed and is running at a 39% vacancy rate. While this data isn't surprising for those who have long followed this issue, what can labs be doing in the meantime to retain and attract top talent?
In this new article for G2 Intelligence, Lighthouse Director of Recruiting Joseph Kessler lays out four primary strategies labs can pursue to attract and retain their talent for the long haul.
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“The more short-staffed a lab becomes, the more that lab has to rely on existing staff to cover shifts, to work overtime, to pull weekends, evenings, or nights. That all contributes to a lack of work-life balance that becomes damaging over the long term and places a great strain on those employees who stick around.”
-- Joe Kessler, Director of Recruiting and Staffing, Lighthouse Lab Services
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UPCOMING CONFERENCES & TRADESHOWS |
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1. Rx and Illicit Drug Summit
- April 1-4, 2024
- Atlanta, GA
- Georgia World Congress Center, Booth #337
- Learn more here
2. Executive War College
- April 30 - May 1, 2024
- New Orleans, LA
- Hyatt Regency
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Save $200 using registration code "LLS200"
- Learn more here
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This email is brought to you as a service from Lighthouse Lab Services to provide quality and timely information that can improve your laboratory operations. We strive to maintain our position as the country’s premiere lab consulting firm and support your success. |
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The Lab Insighter is a monthly publication for Lab Owners and Decision Makers.
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Contact us at:
(919) 443-6553
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