Demonstrating the Value of Clinical Laboratory Medicine: Partnership with Case Management

The healthcare industry continues to face the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges include falling margins, flattened revenues, and rising expenses. Given the low Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) based reimbursement under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) prospective payment system, it is more important than ever for hospitals to focus on quality measures to provide timely and effective care, prevent complications and deaths, reduce readmissions, and minimize the overall cost of care. While Case Management is typically tasked with addressing these issues, partnership with the clinical laboratory can provide valuable and unique insight and strategies.

Until recently, Case Management and clinical laboratories were thought to be an unlikely partnership, however, this webinar will explore real world examples of how collaboration with the laboratory can improve quality metrics within a hospital and demonstrate the value of the clinical laboratory. Dr. Fletcher will outline laboratory strategies for driving improvement in length of stay, transitions of care, denials in payment, readmissions, and hospital-acquired conditions. Each of these strategies has potential to save millions of dollars or drive additional revenue while simultaneously improving patient care.

Originally presented on March 3, 2021, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Lecture Presenter

Andrew Fletcher, MD, MBA, CPE, CHCQM, FCAP Medical Director ARUP Laboratories Clinical Adjunct Professor University of Utah School of Medicine

Dr. Andrew Fletcher is a medical director at ARUP Laboratories and a clinical adjunct professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He has significant experience in leading quality initiatives that enhance organizations’ safety and value. As ARUP’s medical director of Consultative Services, he leads a team of expert consultants focused on laboratory stewardship, laboratory efficiency, and outreach growth. Throughout the U.S., he has helped develop laboratory stewardship programs that have captured millions of dollars in cost savings. Dr. Fletcher received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Massachusetts and graduated from the Mercer University School of Medicine with a medical degree. He completed a surgical internship at Gesinger Medical Center before completing an anatomic and clinical pathology residency at the University of Florida. Dr. Fletcher is certified by the American Board of Pathology in anatomic and clinical pathology and cytopathology. He is a fellow at the College of American Pathology and a certified physician executive by the Certifying Commission of Medical Management. His research interests include laboratory stewardship, healthcare and laboratory management, and blood utilization.

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Objectives

After this presentation, participants will be able to:

• List strong evidence of the impact of a clinical laboratory on quality measures to provide timely and effective care, prevent complications and deaths, reduce readmissions, and minimize the overall cost of care
• Identify and discuss laboratory strategies to address long length of stay, transitions of care and tests pending at discharge, denials in payment due to medical necessity, readmissions, and hospital acquired infections

Sponsored by:

University of Utah School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, and ARUP Laboratories