Clinical Pathology Associates covered ways to create positive connections with path/lab centers, in order to create quality care for patients.
The relationship between ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and laboratory / pathology centers is crucial to providing the best service to patients. Matt Thompson, CEO of Clinical Pathology Associates, met with Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society (TASCS) members to share key points on what to look for when selecting the best lab and path centers for partnership.
Thompson stated that pathology and laboratory facilities are sometimes an afterthought when creating surgery centers, but in reality, they are critical to patient care. During his presentation, he gave five points on how to ensure the best decision is made.
- Quality of Care
- Service Specialty Fit
- Logistics
- Technology
- Customer Service
Thompson said that when it comes to quality of care, "sometimes we assume it is there without ever really checking on it … so when you are selecting path and lab services, you want to think that without high quality, there is no service." He shared practical ways to determine if the pathology or laboratory center is a good fit for an ASC, which included pulling references, checking the surgeon's recommendations, and checking whether or not there is subspecialty knowledge that will fulfill the needs of your specific surgery center.
Service specialty is vital, because you want to confirm that the pathology and laboratory centers can service the specific test results your ASC requires. While you can send some specimens to reference labs, core lab services should be completed in-house to ensure an efficient turnaround time. Circumstances where you can collaborate with one lab to produce most of the services will also help with efficiency and overall service.
Thompson also shared with members that the logistics of location, courier relationships, and supplies should be considered. Accommodating surgeons’ schedules when discussing when specimens can be provided for analysis will support couriers in route planning. With a clear route, they can uphold the quality of the samples and ensure prompt transportation.
The final points of the presentation included the importance of the technology and customer service that come from these pathology and laboratory centers. Thompson stressed that "the depth of infrastructure support is important, and you need the ability to order tests and retrieve results as quickly as you can." He reminded everyone to have a point of contact within the center that can answer all questions quickly, guarantee getting reports or supplies delivered promptly, and help with figuring out patient billing and insurance needs.
With these strategies in mind, your facility can partner with just the right pathology / laboratory center and ensure quality care for all patients.
