MLO - Medical Laboratory Observer

01/12/2026

Will 2026 bring relief—or more uncertainty—for clinical laboratory reimbursement?

That question took center stage during a January 8 House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee hearing on Medicare payment policy and the proposed RESULTS Act.

Testimony from ACLA highlighted why many labs say the current PAMA framework isn’t working: outdated data, ongoing reimbursement cuts, and a reporting burden that pulls focus from patient care. Since 2018, Medicare lab payments have been reduced far beyond original projections—and more cuts are looming.

The RESULTS Act aims to change course by:
• Using broader, more current commercial market data
• Easing reporting requirements for most labs
• Freezing CLFS rates temporarily to stabilize the system
• Capping future payment reductions

In this MLO update, Editor-in-Chief Christina Wichmann outlines what happened at the hearing, what’s in the legislation, and why another short-term PAMA delay is likely before long-term reform takes hold.

🔗 Get the full breakdown: https://bit.ly/4sI64iq

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing January 8th  to discuss legislation on Medicare payment policies and services for seniors, including...

01/05/2026

⏰ Final days to apply for the 2026 MLO Lab of the Year Award

✔ No word limit
✔ Documentation encouraged

If your lab has demonstrated excellence in patient care, productivity, teamwork, customer service, education and training, and strategic outlook—this is your moment.

📩 Submissions due January 12 to cwichmann@mlo-online.com.

12/19/2025

Despite 140 years of scientific progress, TB is once again the world’s leading infectious disease killer. And many of its biggest mysteries—and solutions—still live in the lab.

Our December Continuing Education article explores why TB remains so difficult to detect, how the disease exists on a spectrum (not just “latent” vs. “active”), and why early, accurate laboratory diagnosis is one of the most powerful tools we have to stop transmission.

🔬 In this CE article, you’ll learn how to:
• Interpret global and U.S. TB epidemiology
• Understand TB transmission and disease states
• Compare TB testing methodologies (TST vs. IGRA) and their limitations
• Explore innovations shaping the future of TB diagnostics

The takeaway? Labs aren’t just supporting players—we’re strategic partners in TB elimination.

✅ Earn 1 P.A.C.E. contact hour by passing the post-test with a score of 70% or higher.

👉 Read the article, earn CE, and join the conversation on how labs can help end TB.
💬 Like, comment, or share with your lab colleagues.

https://bit.ly/4p6jQIt

To take the test online go HERE. For more information, visit the Continuing Education tab. LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. List the epidemiological and healthcare statistics for TB infections...

12/17/2025

A patient looks stable. The vitals are reassuring. The SOFA score is low.
So why do some patients suddenly deteriorate hours later?

A new Medical Laboratory Observer online exclusive explores how estimated plasma volume (ePV)—calculated from hemoglobin and hematocrit—can reveal hidden risk before clinical decline becomes obvious.

In one real-world case, an elevated ePV signaled early sepsis and volume overload in a patient who initially appeared well.

The article breaks down:

🔬Why traditional volume assessments often conflict

🔬How ePV provides a low-cost, scalable marker of intravascular congestion

🔬Growing evidence for ePV’s prognostic value in sepsis, heart failure, ARDS, COPD, and COVID-19

🔬What this means for labs, intensivists, and respiratory care teams making real-time decisions

👉 Read the full article: https://bit.ly/48IiI91

A 78-year-old female with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presented to the emergency department (ED) with a productive cough and shortness of breath....

12/11/2025

In the United States, cardiovascular disease claims a life roughly every 33 seconds. Fortunately, high-sensitivity troponin I (hs-cTnl), can improve diagnosis, assess patient risks, and even help improve outcomes.

Unlock the full expert interview to learn how your lab can help clinicians intervene earlier and improve outcomes.

12/08/2025

What does it take to keep pace with rapidly evolving diagnostics—from H5N1 and dengue to HIV differentiation and optical genome mapping?

We spoke with Dr. Joel Todd Moncur, Chair of the CAP’s Council on Scientific Affairs, about the 21 new PT/EQA programs launching in 2026—and how they’re designed to strengthen quality, accuracy, and confidence across the lab.

Here’s what stood out:
• New H5N1 influenza A and Dengue Virus Serology programs supporting U.S. and global laboratories.
• The first global HIV-1/HIV-2 molecular detection and differentiation PT program.
• Tools to help labs verify analytical measurement range—including reticulocyte calibration verification.
• Programs built to reflect today’s testing realities and tomorrow’s diagnostic challenges.

As labs face increasing complexity, proficiency testing is more than a compliance exercise—it’s a roadmap for continuous quality improvement.

💬 How is your organization preparing for 2026’s evolving testing landscape?

Read the full interview here: https://bit.ly/3YfMADq

In this online exclusive Q&A, Joel Todd Moncur, MD, PhD, MS, FCAP, Chair of the College of American Pathologists’ Council on Scientific Affairs discusses the CAP’s 21 new proficiency...

12/04/2025

High-sensitivity troponin is reshaping heart-attack diagnosis and risk detection. See what clinicians need to know.

Unlock the full expert interview to learn how your lab can help clinicians intervene earlier and improve outcomes.

12/03/2025

Elevate cardiac care with sharper diagnostics and real prognostic power. Explore the science behind high-sensitivity troponin.

Unlock the full expert interview to learn how your lab can help clinicians intervene earlier and improve outcomes.

12/01/2025

What will U.S. laboratories look like in 2026? ⚙️🧪

From automation and AI to multi-site integration and workforce redesign, experts say 2026 isn’t just about technology—it’s about redefining the lab’s role in healthcare delivery.

Here are a few predictions that stood out:

▶️ Consolidation and operational harmonization across multi-site systems

▶️ Next-level workforce models and training pipelines

▶️ Stronger collaboration between laboratory professionals and clinicians

▶️ AI and automation to address QC, quality, and operational efficiency

▶️ Continued pressure to solve staffing shortages and reimbursement challenges

These insights paint a picture of a profession taking on new strategic visibility across health systems.

👉 Read what 12 experts had to say about the biggest innovations, challenges, and opportunities coming in 2026.

Let us know: Which prediction resonates most—and which would transform your lab the most?

🔗 Full article: https://bit.ly/48c21CD

To explore what the next year may hold, MLO spoke with 12 laboratory professionals whose roles span bench operations, laboratory quality, enterprise leadership, diagnostics innovation...

11/24/2025

A recent study found that 1 in 5 women with vaginitis also tested positive for an STI—and coinfection rates were even higher among those positive for BV.

Without lab confirmation, these cases can easily be missed, leading to repeat visits, persistent symptoms, and further transmission.

NAAT-based testing gives labs and clinicians the clarity needed to act with confidence—detecting multiple pathogens from one sample and improving both patient care and efficiency.

Read more about how labs can help close the diagnostic gap: https://bit.ly/4oBMBgP.

Vaginitis is the most common vaginal condition among women aged 15–44, and one of the leading causes of OB/GYN visits in the U.S. every year.1,2 The primary cause of vaginitis...

11/21/2025

In the United States, cardiovascular disease claims a life every 33 seconds. Read this to aid diagnosis and more accurately predict patient risk.

Unlock the full expert interview to learn how your lab can help clinicians intervene earlier and improve outcomes.