November 18, 2013
Industry Executives Share Challenges and Opportunities
At HIDA's First Lab Diagnostics Market Conference
Alexandria, Va. – Healthcare industry leaders gathered last week to discuss issues in the laboratory and diagnostics market at the Health Industry Distributors Association’s (HIDA’s) first-ever Laboratory & Diagnostics Market Conference in Washington, D.C.
One theme arose from all seminar speakers and panelists: laboratory diagnostics is under-resourced and under-appreciated. “Right now, health systems are investing millions in state-of-the-art imaging equipment from which very few patients will benefit,” noted healthcare policy expert Gunter Wessels of Total Innovation Group, Inc. (TIGI). “Diagnostics touches every single patient, and yet healthcare decision-makers are cutting lab budgets.”
HIDA Vice President of Government Affairs Linda Rouse-O’Neill provided an analysis of the Affordable Care Act’s impact on lab markets. While the ACA has created new cost pressures, it has also created new opportunities for diagnostics to become more important than ever, she said. “Infections, for instance, can cause health systems to be penalized under three different policies: readmissions, value-based purchasing, and infections penalties,” she explained. “It’s critical to explain the importance of diagnostics in identifying and preventing problems like these.”
Eight panelists from providers, distributors and GPOs participated in the discussion. Organizations represented included PeaceHealth, LABSCO, McKesson Medical-Surgical, O & R Medical, Fisher HealthCare, Amerinet and HealthTrust.
For more information on this and other HIDA Market Conferences, please visit www.hida.org/events.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff Girardi, 703-838-6110
girardi@hida.org
About HIDA
The Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA) is the premier trade association representing medical products distribution. HIDA members primarily serve the nation’s hospital, long term care and physician/alternate care markets. For more information, visit www.HIDA.org or www.streamlininghealthcare.org.