Scott Wallask
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Editorial director at @TheDarkReport, covering clinical and pathology labs. Interested in good writing, content development, and reaching the right audience.
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Articles by Scott Wallask
Clinical Lab Reimbursement Experts Discuss PAMA Pressure and Leaving Money on the Table
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CMS Proposes to Modernize CLIA in Broad Rule
What clinical labs need to know about virtual access, director qualifications, and more
Newsmaker Interview with ASCP’s Alexandra Brown, MD
CEO SUMMARY: In this Q&A, Alexandra Brown, the new chief executive at ASCP, explains strategies she’s eyeing to stem the shortage of talent in the pathology and laboratory medicine workforce. Brown also discusses how to bring more visibility to the diagnostics profession and what skills she sees as essential for business leaders to sharpen as […] . To access this post, you must purchase
Decreased Rates for Cervical Cancer Screening Should Lead to Strategic Shifts for Clinical Labs
New research indicates proportion of young women who have never been screened for cervical cancer more than doubled since 2005
What New Prior Authorization Metrics Mean for Clinical Labs
KFF looks into payer claims denials, which continue to be scrutinized
Missing Business Skills Undercut Young Pathologists
CEO Summary: While much attention is given to the plight of retiring pathologists, not enough awareness falls to the lack of business skills held by younger incoming pathologists who want to run a practice. One solution, says Robert Tessier, MPH, of the Panel of National Pathology Leaders, is to push for more active professional networks […]
Mass Spectrometry Evolves for Clinical Laboratories
CEO Summary: Mass spectrometry may be ready for a wider audience within clinical laboratories, as the technology’s sensitivity and ease of use provide prime selling points for adoption. However, the expense of the systems, and flat reimbursement rates, may concern cost-sensitive organizations. Clinical lab decision-makers will need to weigh the pros and cons as they […] . To access this post, you must purchase
Beyond Prior Authorization Reform: The Next Measure of Administrative Simplification
Home 5 News 5 Beyond Prior Authorization Reform: The Next Measure of Administrative Simplification by | Sep 15, 2026 | News Clinical labs can serve as early observers of this transition LabX Media Group (photo courtesy of XiFin) Prior authorization reform has reached an important inflection point.
Using ‘Surfaceomics’ as a Jumping Point, a Case is Made for Clinical Lab Growth
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Software as a Medical Service, or SaMS, Takes Spotlight in New CMS Proposal
Clinical labs have until Aug. 31 to submit public comments about the anticipated changes
ASCP’s New Pathology Analytics Platform Aims to Improve Workflows
CEO SUMMARY: During a recent webinar, Sachin Gupta, PhD, of the American Society for Clinical Pathology demonstrated the organization’s new Performance and Diagnostics Insights (PDI) analytics and benchmarking platform. PDI provides extensive reports based on near real-time data from laboratory information systems and other sources. The University of Nebraska Medical Center is among the early […] To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.
Datavant Touts Tokenization Approach to Protect Sensitive Data
CEO SUMMARY: Labcorp’s plan to launch a platform for Alzheimer’s disease data analysis will use technology from Datavant to guard digital personally identifiable information. A key aspect is tokenization, in which patient data is encrypted but can still be matched to other datasets, such as hospital admissions. In a prior briefing, The Dark Report outlined […] . To access this post, you must purchase
How Clinical Lab Leaders Can Take Advantage of C-Suite Priorities
CEO SUMMARY: A new industry survey by Siemens Healthineers indicates that hospital executives increasingly recognize medical laboratories as vital clinical assets. However, securing capital based on that good will requires lab leaders to align diagnostic priorities with broader health system goals. Clinical laboratories typically account for 2% to 5% of total hospital operating budgets. Yet, […] To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.
CMS Proposals on Software Create a Storm for Labs
Our August 2026 issue outlines two federal requests for information (RFI) that share a theme: modernization of the clinical laboratory. And if lab leaders aren’t paying attention, they will be left behind. Look at what the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) slipped into its 2027 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System proposal: a brand-new […] . To access this post, you must purchase
ADLM 2026 Shows What Keeps Diagnostic Platforms Running
An analysis by Lab Manager of exhibit hall vendors at the 2026 meeting of the Association of Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine (ADLM) showed that medical lab customer and manufacturer needs tilt towards routine products, even in big-money technologies. That reality should prompt clinical lab managers to think carefully about behind-the-scenes components as they evaluate major diagnostic platforms. ADLM 2026 drew just under 17,000 people to the event, which took place in July in Anaheim, CA.
Six RCM Tips from the ADLM 2026 Meeting
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Carbon Impact Report Shows Growing Lab Commitment to Reducing Carbon Emissions
Life sciences and clinical laboratories are accelerating zero-carbon goals, says My Green Lab CEO
Lessons in Laboratory Compliance from a $30 Million Settlement
‘Lean lab’ setup appears to have caught the eyes of investigators
Polling Data Shows Cracks in Medical Necessity Compliance
CEO SUMMARY: Data gathered from three separate events consistently points to a common problem in clinical laboratories: Nearly one-third of respondents indicated their organizations do not review medical necessity of diagnostic tests, and another 29% were not sure. Experts say those answers should spur all laboratories to audit their compliance efforts given the federal government’s […] To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.
How Specialty Diagnostic Tests Connect with Lab Customers
CEO SUMMARY: In this exclusive Q&A, Revvity’s Yves Dubaquie provides details about the in vitro diagnostics company’s priorities, including developing specialty tests and reviewing its business in China. Dubaquie also explains why clinical laboratories may need to consider hiring more technology-savvy workers in the future as the complexity of instruments grows. Editor’s note: Yves Dubaquie, […] To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.
Growing Need for Companion Diagnostics is Evident at Drug Discovery Event
The momentum for targeted therapies has downstream implications for clinical laboratories
What the $1b Roche-PathAI Deal Can Tell Clinical Lab Directors
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New Enhancing CLIA Act: What Lab Directors Need to Know
The proposal seeks to move any future LDT authority away from the FDA
How to Stay Ahead of Anticipated CLIA Deficiencies
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What ‘White Collar/Blue Collar’ Testing Split Means for Labs
As in vitro diagnostics (IVD) manufacturers consolidate to chase high-margin precision medicine, medical laboratories must learn to navigate a market split into two distinct tiers: commodity-driven volume testing and high-value, data-driven genomics. That was a key message from an IVD panel convened at the 2026 Executive War College on Diagnostics, Clinical Laboratory, and Pathology Management. […] To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.
Examining Roche’s Deal to Acquire PathAI
CEO SUMMARY: At first glance, Roche’s announcement that it had bought digital pathology and AI firm PathAI could be seen as a narrowing of options for clinical laboratories and pathology practices. However, insider Lisa-Jean Clifford says labs have long had access to digital pathology integration features that Roche touted, making the context of the PathAI […] . To access this post, you must purchase
Expect RESULTS Act Vote by End of the Year
CEO SUMMARY: Evidence at the 2026 Executive War College suggests a coming push in clinical lab advocacy, focusing on the RESULTS Act to establish a permanent, database-driven reimbursement model. Simultaneously, federal regulators have floated the idea of heightened scrutiny of genetic test spending, signaling that while lab test reimbursement rates may stabilize, compliance oversight could […] To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.
Behind the Cat-and-Mouse Game of Lab Reimbursement
Financial relationships between clinical laboratories and commercial payers have evolved into a high-stakes, technological tug-of-war. For nearly a decade, the clinical laboratory industry has wrestled with the provisions of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA). While repeated legislative delays of PAMA-mandated cuts to lab test reimbursement rates have offered independent and hospital laboratories temporary […] To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.
Four Federal Efforts to Monitor, Including RESULTS Act Progress
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Recent OIG Opinion Explores Lab-Urgent Care Arrangement
For decades, the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) has analyzed clinical laboratory business arrangements by asking how much compliance risk they pose. With the release of Advisory Opinion 26-02 on February 18, 2026, the watchdog agency offered a rare approval to a structure that has historically invited scrutiny: […] . To access this post, you must purchase
Artificial Intelligence Briefs
NYC Health CEO Suggests Replacing Radiologists with AI Anatomic pathologists may find concern in the words of Michael H. Katz, MD, the CEO at NYC Health + Hospitals, who indicated the system is prepared to substitute AI for radiologists in certain use cases. The move would require at least state regulatory approval for AI to […] . To access this post, you must purchase
Digital Pathology’s Next Wave May Be in Precision Medicine
We’ve noted before that the adoption of digital pathology has not been as swift or strong as originally predicted. Many factors contribute to that concern. This topic came up in a recent interview The Dark Report conducted with Imogen Fitt, principal analyst at Signify Research, which released its 2025 Digital Pathology World Report in November. […] . To access this post, you must purchase
Lab Fraudster Warned of ‘Bad Players’ in Old Interview
The audacity of some criminals can be startling. Using fraudulent reimbursement to buy expensive vehicles and mocking Medicare beneficiaries seem to be routine parts of the dishonesty playbook. Former NFL prospect Keith J. Gray, owner of two clinical laboratories in Texas, is just the latest example. On Feb. 19, a Dallas jury convicted Gray for […] . To access this post, you must purchase
Navigating a ‘One-Two Punch’ on Clinical Lab Suppliers
In the wake of shifting US federal policies and an uneven economic landscape, clinical lab suppliers and other manufacturers are facing a unique set of challenges. In a recent interview, James Connelly, CEO at My Green Lab, broke down the findings of the group’s 2025 Carbon Impact of Biotech and Pharma Report, highlighting how medical laboratories—both commercial and institutional—fit into the global carbon emissions puzzle.
OIG Report on Lab Testing Should Prompt Compliance Review
Genetic testing now accounts for 43 percent of all Medicare Part B laboratory spending
Digital Pathology Market Continues to Battle Low Adoption, High Costs
Analyst Imogen Fitt highlights vendors who are pushing boundaries with new digital pathology business models Register for free to listen to this article The digital pathology market continues to make inroads with the clinical laboratory industry, but a frequent roadblock to market growth persists: low adoption.
Six Themes Define 2026 Executive War College
CEO SUMMARY: The 31st Annual Executive War College is just eight weeks away. From financial performance to digital pathology and AI, this year’s jam-packed conference will deliver practical solutions for today’s busy clinical laboratory executives. Despite stepping down last year from day-to-day duties, event founder Robert L. Michel’s influence will still be felt, both in […] . To access this post, you must purchase
Revenue Concerns to Watch at Home and Abroad
This issue of The Dark Report explores long-term revenue interests from two angles, both of which are important for clinical laboratory leaders and pathology practice owners to contemplate. One of our briefings delves into how a lab fought back against payers that were denying claims for mysterious reasons. It is not the first organization to […]
Office of Inspector General Briefs
Congress Wants Review of Test Fraud As part of a spending bill approved by Congress recently, there is a small provision that hints at future review of clinical laboratory tests by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG). Bill number H.R.7148 (Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026) calls for the […] . To access this post, you must purchase
One of the biggest aspects of a clinical laboratory switching from traditional glass slides to digital pathology is the potential cost of such a project. It’s difficult to provide a reliable range of how expensive digital pathology (DP) implementation is because of varying factors such as the size of the laboratory, specific scanners chosen, and […] . To access this post, you must purchase
PAMA Cuts Averted Until ‘27; Labs Plan Next Move
CEO SUMMARY: Clinical laboratories have again avoided a potential financial disaster, at least for now, after Congress shifted PAMA cuts to test reimbursement rates until January 2027. However, the victory is temporary absent permanent PAMA reform. To that end, laboratory leaders need to push lawmakers to pass the RESULTS Act, with one healthcare attorney suggesting […] . To access this post, you must purchase
Up Next for Labs: PAMA Reporting Window Opens May 1
Cuts to reimbursement rates under PAMA have been pushed back again by Congress, this time to January 2027
2026 Lab Manager Leadership Summit Will Bring Clinical Laboratory Expertise and Networking
The 2026 Lab Manager Leadership Summit will bring together laboratory leaders from across disciplines to explore strategies needed to navigate today’s complex management challenges. For clinical lab managers, the Leadership Summit offers opportunities to connect with peers facing similar operational pressures and learn from practical content that can be applied directly to medical lab management.
PAMA Delay Proposed Until 2027 Under a New Federal Spending Bill
However, attorney Danielle Sloan urges labs to be proactive about potential PAMA reporting requirements on Jan. 31 if the bill doesn’t pass quickly
Cuts to Rural Labs Boost RESULTS Act Support
CEO SUMMARY: Two related legislative concerns should have the sharp attention of clinical laboratory leaders, particularly those in rural areas. On one end, PAMA cuts are scheduled to hit on Jan. 31 short of another reprieve from Congress. Meanwhile, lawmakers at a recent hearing sought further information about the RESULTS Act, which would reform the […] . To access this post, you must purchase
Where to Proceed Cautiously with AI in the Clinical Lab
Not since the smartphone debuted has a technology created as much hype as artificial intelligence (AI). Clearly mobile phones proved to be a cornerstone of business, and AI may eventually find similar footing. But as the AI revolution unfolds, clinical laboratories should approach artificial intelligence deliberately. Labs must establish clear guardrails that prioritize patient safety, […] To access this post, you must purchase The Dark Report.
ACLA Head Pushes RESULTS Act Passage During House Subcommittee Testimony
The RESULTS Act, which aims to reform the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2018 (PAMA) so that it is more favorable to clinical laboratories, got a major boost from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle during a January 8 House of Representatives hearing.
Molecular Pathology Will Lean Further into Liquid Biopsy and Proteomics in 2026
Top Image: Quagliata sat down with Today’s Clinical Lab at the Association for Molecular Pathology’s annual meeting in November. Today's Clinical Lab/Scott Wallask Thermo Fisher’s Luca Quagliata also discusses pathologists’ desire for rapid turnaround times Register for free to listen to this article Luca Quagliata, PhD, BCMAS, COA Luca Quagliata, PhD, BCMAS, COA, is vice president and global head of medical and scientific affairs at Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Genetic Testing Kickback Scheme Results in 46-Month Prison Term
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Top Stories in 2025 Played Out in Courts, Capitol Hill
CEO SUMMARY: The biggest story of the year for clinical laboratories came in a huge court victory, as a federal judge vacated the FDA’s final rule on laboratory developed tests. Labs breathed a sigh of relief after the court decision, as the FDA rule had promised to increase regulatory scrutiny and costs for organizations creating […] . To access this post, you must purchase
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