COLA Staff News
One new staffer hired, one current staffer promoted
COLA Study Examines Lab Workforce Issue, Proposed Medicare Changes
Several federal agencies have proposed amending the patient privacy provisions of two federal laws, the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). In effect, the new rule – CMS-2319-P: Patients’ Access to Test Reports – would repeal exceptions to an individual’s right of access…
COLA’s “caregiver” takes her role very seriously
A Time of Uncertainty in Washington
Rules establishing “Accountable Care Organizations” (ACOs) – a new health care payment and delivery reform model linking provider reimbursements to quality metrics – took effect in January. COLA is working on a few initiatives intended to better define how a laboratory should integrate into the ACO model. In the meantime, this article in Amednews examines…
The workforce shortage plaguing the lab industry is a well-documented phenomenon. One of the reasons for this is the senior nature of the lab workforce. According to ADVANCE’s 2010 survey, 36 percent of lab workers are baby boomers ages 50 – 59, making it the single biggest subgroup by age in the profession. Citing news…
USP Gathering Explores the Future of Lab Medicine, Diagnostics