Two-Thirds of Maryland Labs Experiencing Worker Shortage
COLA Study Examines Lab Workforce Issue, Proposed Medicare Changes
COLA Staff News
One new staffer hired, one current staffer promoted
Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs): One Perspective
According to a recent article on AAFP’s “News Now” site, a nationally-recognized expert on healthcare payments and quality issues believes that primary care physicians, not hospitals, should take the lead on creating ACOs. Click here to read comments made by Harold Miller, executive director of the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform and president/CEO…
Scholarships Available to Lab Students
In an effort to help address the workforce shortage which has plagued the medical laboratory profession, ASCP and Siemens will be awarding more than $125,000 in scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students during the 2011-2012 academic year. More than 100 scholarships ranging from $500 to $2,000 are available, The deadline for applications is November 15,…
Federal Regulation of LDTs Proposed
Congressman Michael Burgess, M. D. (R-TX), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has introduced legislation to create a process through which so-called “Laboratory Developed Tests” (LDTs) would be regulated. The legislation – H.R. 3207, the Modernizing Laboratory Test Standards for Patients Act – would establish a notification and review process at CMS…
COLA President’s Corner, October 2011
Growing the Laboratory Workforce Is Our Responsibility
COLA Unveils New Website to Connect Labs, Consultants
COLA has launched a new web portal designed to connect laboratorians and other industry professionals with technical consultants who can assist them. The new tool, www.myconsultantcentral.com, provides a searchable database of technical consultants with expertise in COLA and CLIA criteria. Available to COLA members, non-member laboratories, manufacturers and other industry decision makers, the free service…
Questions About New Lab Test Access Rule Addressed
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) prepared the following FAQ sheet answering questions about a proposed new rule to allow patients direct access to their testing results from previously-exempted labs. To view the proposed regulation, click here. Frequently Asked Questions CMS-2319-P: Patients’ Access to Test Reports 1. What are the proposed changes to…
Congressman Elijah Cummings Honored for Support of Lab Quality
COLA has presented the 2011 Perry A. Lambird Memorial Excellence in Medicine Award to Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-7th, MD). Typically bestowed upon distinguished individuals within the medical or lab communities, Cummings is the first public servant to receive it. Rep. Cummings was selected because of his long history of advocating for the rights of all…