Speed

Speed – we recognize the importance of this attribute in so many areas of life.  Think about it…   It’s something we focus on daily at Pathagility.  How can we deliver value faster?  This is not as easy as it sounds because in our industry (other industries as well), there are so many moving parts – some of…

Web Browsers and (Lab) System Design

In the recent CAP TODAY, there is a good article in the Newsbytes section called, The conundrum of shortcut keys for Web-based LIS. Being a SaaS product company in the diagnostic arena, we’ve experienced some of these issues while developing to different web browsers (Firefox, IE, Chrome,etc.)  So far, we’ve developed a nice balance of functionality…

Lab-to-EMR interface alternatives

Ever wonder why one EMR vendor charges $10+K and takes 1 year to implement a Lab-to-EMR interface and another EMR vendor charges $3K and takes 3 months?  You aren’t alone.  This is a common question in our industry.  With that said, everyone acknowledges the benefits of interfacing.  As mentioned in a previous post, pathology groups are…

SERVICE – 1 Lab’s Competitive Advantage

If you were to poll pathology labs and ask what the most important factor in competing for referring physicians’ cases, you would get a multitude of answers.  Some of the most common we hear are connectivity (ability to interface with physician EMR), lab/pathologist reputation, marketable/usable lab reports, etc; but the one factor that we hear…

Rapid software updates

If you are a pathology group or any healthcare provider group for that matter, how would you rate the effectiveness of your software vendor on needed updates?  Are you seeing quick turnarounds (days or weeks) on needed functionality changes or is it more of a six month to a year version roll-out scenario?  What impact…

Meaningful Use Objectives for Pathologists

As mentioned in our recent post, Meaningful Use and Pathology Labs, we stated we would start forwarding on information regarding the affects of Meaningful Use (MU) on pathologists.  Check out this CAP article called Experts Detail Meaningful Use Challenges, Opportunities for Pathologists.  In it they talk about the demand for interfaces and they list 8 objectives…

Lab-to-EMR Interfacing – It’s a Business Decision

It is no secret that pathology groups are fielding calls from their referring physicians, hospitals, and healthcare partners to build EMR interfaces.  Check out our previous post Impact of EMR adoption on the Pathology Lab.  The first impact that we noted in that post is labs must spend $ on LIS-to-EMR interfacing.  We also note that this…

Lab EMR/Web-based LIS – What’s the difference?

Terminology– it is interesting how perceptions are formed based on a particular set of words even if those words are the only real differentiators of something.    Word usage does make a difference.  We enjoy reading Bruce Friedman’s posts on Lab Soft News.  If you aren’t already, you should following him on Twitter @labsoftnews.Yesterday’s post Who Will Build the Diagnostic…

Social Media in Pathology – Game Changer

Came across this editorial from the Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine by … yes…scrolling through Twitter and seeing a Tweet from @VTPathology.  The editorial by Dr. Eric F. Glassy is called The Rise of the Social Pathologist: The Importance of Social Media to Pathology.  It gives a great account of how Twitter, Facebook, YouTube…

The Clinical Lab and EHR Meaningful Use – Course Material

CAP  is offering a course to pathologists that are interested in learning about the impacts of recent federal policies on clinical laboratories – The Clinical Laboratory and Meaningful Use of EHR (SAM eligible).  Following are the objectives of the course: 1. Describe the benefits and importance of EHRs to pathologists and patients 2. Describe related…