tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41747531570721488932024-03-14T01:05:57.404-05:00Tim "The Lab Guy" Speaking & ConsultingWelcome! Interested in the medical laboratory field? Need information on how to increase your practice revenue or ideas on building quality patient care and team camaraderie. Maybe you would just like to share insight with a medical laboratory manager and consultant who is also a professional speaker and humorist to gain a positive perspective on the health care field!
We look forward to helping you!Tim Dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12396585547488503007noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174753157072148893.post-48590028969806097472007-11-30T13:59:00.000-05:002007-11-30T18:58:44.474-05:00POCT for POLs<div align="left"><strong><span style="font-family:arial;">Point of Care Testing for Physician Office Laboratories</span></strong></div><div align="left"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></strong></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">In my many years as a physician office laboratory (POL) consultant, I have been called upon to evaluate the feasibility of in-house laboratory testing. The medical practice - understanding the potential of a POL - is investigating the possibility of improving patient care and potentially increasing practice revenue. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong></strong></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong>Unfortunately this has been the Exception!</strong></span></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></strong></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Most times I am called in <em>after</em> the critical decisions have been made and the laboratory is either facing a <a href="http://www.cms.hhs.gov/clia/"><span style="color:#3366ff;">CLIA</span></a> deficiencey or not proving profitable. Although each situation is unique, I find two common issues when POLs are facing these dilemmas:</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;">"Nobody Told Us That!" OR "But the Sales Rep Said" </span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></strong></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></strong></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">Laboratory testing is kinda like taxes. No matter who does them, when the government comes to check, you (or the practice) are still the one held responsible. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Having a POL can prove rewarding and profitable, <strong><em>if</em> </strong>you take time plan. </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">There are three basic steps for determining what is right for your practice and reaping the many benefits of a POL:</span></div><ul><li><div align="left"><span style="font-family:arial;">Decide which tests are medically right for your patients and your practice</span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Calculate the financial impact and Return on Investment (ROI)</span></div></li><li><div align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Choose the procedures and vendors</span></div></li></ul><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Over the next few blog posts, I will be discussing in further detail each of these areas with tips on how to determine the feasibility of POCT for your POL!</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong>Ponder this:</strong></span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">What challenges do you face in providing quality care for your patients?</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">How do you feel about offering point of care testing?</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">Let me know what YOU think!</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;">***</span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="http://www.timdumas.com/">Tim "The Lab Guy"</a></span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span></p>Tim Dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12396585547488503007noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174753157072148893.post-88198429552637211822007-05-10T23:37:00.000-05:002007-12-03T15:28:56.142-05:00Why "Tim the Lab Guy"?!<p align="left">Welcome to my blog. Perhaps you wonder:<br /><br /><strong>Why “Tim The Lab Guy”?!</strong><br /><br />Well for many years that’s what I heard . . . “I don’t know. Go ask Tim, the lab guy!”<br /><br />The information on this site will be inspired by the almost 30 years I have spent in the medical laboratory field. I started in the air force as a lab tech working for 8 years in both civilian and military labs.<br /><br />From there I was employed in hospital labs as a generalist covering all departments and the ever popular “grave yard” 11-7 shift.<br /><br />There is much insight to be shared from those experiences!<br /><br />When CLIA 88 was enacted in the 90’s, I was asked to help a local doctor’s office become certified. Hence the beginning of my “Physician Office Laboratory” (POL) managing experience! </p><p align="left"><br />After 15 years, clinics, EMR’s, medical offices and medical centers now benefit from the experience I have attained. They learn how to increase their ROI, enhance their patient care and develop fun and productive work environments through my consulting, training and professional speaking. (I received my National Speaker’s Association accreditation in 2004).<br /><br />See more about how your office can enhance your work environment at <a href="http://www.timdumas.com/">http://www.timdumas.com/</a><br /><br />Most recently <strong>Advanced POC</strong> was born with the vision of<br /><br /><em>“Perfecting Profit, Process and Patient Care!”</em><br /><br />Check us out at <a href="http://www.advancedpoc.com/">http://www.advancedpoc.com/</a><br /><br />As an active consultant I will be relating stories from the front lines of the medical lab. We will discuss issues relating to Physician Office Laboratories (POL) and Point of Care Testing (POCT).<br /><br />I will draw on lab experiences: old and new!<br /><br />Up coming Topics: </p><p align="left">ROI for your lab<br />POCT<br />Updated CLIA regulations<br />Waived testing and advanced testing<br />How to buy from the vendor<br />What to do with old/used analyzers<br />Tips for a lab tune-up<br /><br />These are a few subjects to get us going. Write me with suggestions, questions and ideas!<br />I would be thrilled to dialogue or should I say “blog-a-logue” with you!<br /><br />Tim “The Lab Guy” Consulting, CLS, CRSP<br />President, Advanced POC<br />#919.325.2888<br /><a href="mailto:tdumas@nc.rr.com">tdumas@nc.rr.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.timdumas.com/">http://www.timdumas.com/</a><br /><a href="http://www.advancedpoc.com/">http://www.advancedpoc.com/</a><br /></p>Tim Dumashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12396585547488503007noreply@blogger.com2