2023 Executive War College Agenda
Here is the 2023 Agenda, with announced session Titles and Speakers for the EWC Conference.
After you register, this data will also be available on your Smart phone in the EWC Event App (Whova.)

Monday, April 24 (Top)
REGISTRATION

4:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Early Registration
RECEPTION

5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Get Acquainted Reception
Tuesday, April 25 (Top)
REGISTRATION

7:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Registration
BREAKFAST

7:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Continental Breakfast
BENEFACTOR SESSIONS

7:30 AM - 8:20 AM
Thermo Fisher, Wave HC, Quadax, Coronis
MASTER CLASS

7:30 AM - 8:20 AM
Leveraging Real Time Operational Lab Data Across 20 Hospitals to Track Workflow, Staff Productivity, and Manage How Physician Clients Benefit from Lab Testing
The presenters will share how MultiCare is leveraging hc1 Insights and other technology to drive accountability, workflow changes and education paths in the health system’s lab to be one of the Most Wired Health Care Organizations.
In this presentation, you will learn how MultiCare selected a tool that could take information from disparate systems into one, made it actionable and ensured it was being used by the right people for key decision-making processes.

Zac Zahara
COO System Lab,
MultiCare Health System

Jennifer Maxwell
Executive Director of Client Success, hc1, Indianapolis, IN
MASTER CLASS

7:30 AM - 8:20 AM
How KPIs, Monitors, and Real-Time Reporting Help Drive Down Those Pre- and Post-Analytic Processes that Trigger 50% of Costs and 80% of Service Issues
The objective of this session is to allow the participants to: A) be aware of the competitively necessary functions & services included in these Pre-Analytical and Post-Analytical activities, and B) develop management disciplines to allow you and your management teams to Cost Efficiently monitor and report the most important KPI’s and trends while taking action on areas that need to be addressed in a Continuous Improvement manner.
BENEFACTOR SESSIONS

8:30 AM - 9:20 AM
Change Healthcare, U.S. HealthTek, Telcor
MASTER CLASS

8:30 AM - 9:20 AM
Today’s Supply-Demand Gap for Skilled Pathologists: How it Happened, Why It Will Continue, and How Innovative Labs Attract, Hire, and Retain Top Talent

Dr. Stanley Robboy
MD, FCAP, FFPath FRCPI (Hon), FRCPath (Hon),
Professor Emeritus of Pathology,
Duke University Medical Center
MASTER CLASS

8:30 AM - 9:20 AM
“Automating the Patient Experience at Time of Genetic Test Order: Effective Approaches to Engage Genetic Counselors and Benefits Investigation to Speed Patient Acceptance”

Harley Ross
Chief Commercial Officer,
XIFIN,
San Diego, CA

Heather Agostinelli
Vice President,
Strategic Revenue Operations,
XIFIN,
San Diego, CA
MASTER CLASS

8:30 AM - 9:20 AM
“Progressive Steps to Solve Pain Points in Lab Revenue Cycle Management: Deploying AI-Powered Solutions, Improving Cash Flow Projections, and Collecting Accurate, Complete Data with the Lab Request”

Heather Bogner
Senior Director, Revenue Cycle
Gravity Diagnostics,
Covington, KY

Michael Tarwater
Vice President of
Information Technology,
Gravity Diagnostics,
Covington, KY
MASTER CLASS

8:30 AM - 9:20 AM
Delivering Added Value Pathology Services to Oncologists: Bringing Complex Cancer Testing In-house to Reduce Time to Diagnosis, Improve Patient Care, and Generate New Revenue
MASTER CLASS

8:30 AM - 9:20 AM
“Achieving Faster Sepsis Diagnosis in the Emergency Department: Early Experience with the Monocyte Distribution Width (MDW) Marker and Acceptance by ED and ID Physicians”

Robert Patterson
MD, MPH
Medical Director of Pathology,
Lab Medicine & Lab Outreach,
Butler Health, Butler, PA
GENERAL SESSION

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Positioning Your Lab to Prosper by Serving Healthcare’s New Consumers, New Care Models, New Payment Models, and More!
GENERAL SESSION

10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
How Old School Lab Rules Evolved into New School Lab Rules and Ways to Transition Your Lab Through Today’s Disrupters in Healthcare and the Clinical Laboratory Marketplace
The lab is facing a world of disruptors the old school of best practices is requiring a new school of thought and innovation.
AM BREAK

10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
AM Break
GENERAL SESSION

11:00 AM - 11:35 AM
“Is It Time for Retail Pharmacies and Clinical Labs to Start a Dating Relationship to Offer Value to Each Other?”
GENERAL SESSION

11:35 AM - 12:10 PM
Generating Value by Identifying Risk Signals in Longitudinal Lab Data: Opportunities in Big Data with Payers, Physicians, Pharma, and Bioresearch
hc1 Chairman and CEO Brad Bostic will discuss the current state of Big Data and the lab’s opportunity to participate. This presentation will address important trends in real-world data, how AI can add value, and the role labs can play in helping physicians, payers, and life sciences companies to gain an advantage. He will also share how emerging large language models, like ChatGPT, can transform healthcare delivery, and the potential for perilous consequences if AI models are left to run unchecked.
LUNCH

12:10 PM - 1:45 PM
Networking Lunch
PANEL

1:45 PM - 2:25 PM
Legal Panel: Important Developments in Laboratory Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance Requirements
Panel discussion of topical, critical legal issues affecting clinical laboratories.

Jeffery Sherrin
Of Counsel,
O’Connell & Aronowitz, P.C.

Paul Garcia
Esq., Partner,
Hooper Lundy & Bookman
BREAKOUT SESSION

1:45 PM - 2:25 PM
“Using the Lab-Initiated Care Model to Achieve Earlier, More Accurate Diagnoses of Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients with Co-Morbidities of Diabetes and Hypertension”

Khosrow Shotorbani
President, Executive Director,
Project Santa Fe Foundation- Lab 2.0, Salt Lake City, UT

James Crawford
MD, PhD,
Senior Vice President of Laboratory Services, Northwell Health, Greenvale, NY
BREAKOUT SESSION

1:45 PM - 2:25 PM
“Useful Insights from the Design, Construction, and Operation of a New High-Volume Laboratory: Managing Costs, Sustaining Quality, and Improving Patient Care”
In this session, Dr. Genzen will be discussing a multi-year construction initiative which expanded ARUP’s laboratory footprint by over 200,000 sq feet. Inspired by Lean principles and ARUP’s commitment to continuous quality improvement, this project engaged laboratory operations, facilities, quality, and engineering teams to optimize processes in support of increasing efficiency and reducing turn-around-time. Projects included pre-analytic, analytic, and post-analytic automation, as well as re-thinking traditional workflows to streamline and improve the specimen journey both within and across laboratory sections. Particular focus was placed on green building principles and maximizing recycling across operations. Throughout the presentation, Dr. Genzen will share metrics on the overall impact of the project on laboratory turn-around-time and continuous quality improvement initiatives. Please join us for this highly informative and engaging business case study!

Jonathan Genzen
MD, PhD,
Chief Medical Officer / Professor,
ARUP Laboratories / Univ. of Utah,
Salt Lake City, UT
BREAKOUT SESSION

1:45 PM - 2:25 PM
“New Opportunities for Local Labs and Hospitals to Scale Genome Sequencing Modalities to Utilize Capacity, Advance Patient Care, and Open Doors to More Reimbursement”
BREAKOUT SESSION

1:45 PM - 2:25 PM
“Lab Staff Recruiting, Hiring, and Retention in Today’s Competitive Market: How We Differentiate Our Lab, Attract Qualified Candidates, and Build Loyalty and Commitment”
BREAKOUT SESSION

2:45 PM - 3:35 PM
Early Successes and Lessons Learned in Launching a National Digital Pathology Network in the UK
In this session, Dr Williams will discuss an ambitious and innovative digital pathology programme launched in the United Kingdom, and how a single site, single hospital digital pathology deployment has grown into flourishing regional and national clinical networks.

Bethany Williams
Lead for Training, Education and Public/Patient Involvement,
National Pathology Imaging Co-Operative
BREAKOUT SESSION

2:45 PM - 3:35 PM
“ISO 15189–Medical Laboratory Guidelines: What’s New and Different in the 4th Generation Standards Published at the Start of 2023”
The new edition of ISO15189 puts the patient first, with increased risk management requirements; POCT is now included, and laboratories have more flexibility in how requirements are met. This globally accepted document has become the gold standard for laboratory accreditation, recognized by governments, NGOs and academia worldwide.
PANEL

2:45 PM - 3:35 PM
Panel: State of the IVD Industry: What’s Working Best in Today’s Post-Pandemic Market for Lab Vendors and Their Customers

Bob McGonnagle
Publisher, CAP Today,
College of American Pathologists,
Northfield, IL

Bruce Carlson
Senior Vice President,
Kalorama Information,
Arlington, VA

Larry Worden
Principal,
IVD Logix LLC,
Dallas, TX

James Kathrein
Sr. Commercial Business Advisor/Consultant,
Kathrein Consulting,
Salt Lake City, UT
BREAKOUT SESSION

2:45 PM - 3:35 PM
“Key Initiatives Underway at the CDC’s Division of Laboratory Systems: Efforts to Update CLIA Requirements, Closer Public Health Lab/Clinical Lab Collaborations, and New Resources for Labs”

Reynolds Salerno
PhD, Director, Division of Laboratory Systems Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
BREAKOUT SESSION

2:45 PM - 3:35 PM
“Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) In Six Hospitals Plus Five Free-Standing EDs: Using Patient-Centric Services to Reduce Unnecessary Tests, Improve Patient Care, and Capture All Test Results”
BREAKOUT SESSION

2:45 PM - 3:35 PM
Building Lab Outreach Market Share While Creating Everlasting Doctor Loyalty
Discussion will surround development of successful sales strategies based on laboratory platform and marketplace. The successful sales team understands laboratory operations, IT, the marketplace, company initiatives and the “business” of laboratory medicine. A successful sales team is a knowledgeable sales team.
Sales teams generally market less than 30% to 40% of the potential client base in any given market. That segment is commonly “recycled” by sales executives. Why is it that the vast majority of clients are left untouched and how do we access them?
Developing client loyalty is a laboratory-wide effort and effective strategies on this will be covered. How to break the cycle of losing business and create healthy, long-lasting client relationships and loyalty.
PANEL

3:45 PM - 4:35 PM
Everything You Need to Know about Washington, DC: Issues of Concern to Labs, Including PAMA, VALID Act, FDA, OIG, CMS, Congress, and More

John Kolozsvary
Chief Executive Officer,
Joint Venture Hospital Laboratories,
Allen Park, MI

Susan Van Meter
President, American Clinical Laboratory Association

Jeff Allen
PhD,
President and CEO,
Friends of Cancer Research

Emily Volk
MD, MBA, FCAP,
President,
College of American Pathologists,
Northfield, Ill
BREAKOUT SESSION

3:45 PM - 4:35 PM
“Using Genetic Test Stewardship to Open Doors with Your Health System Leadership and Key Payers: Winning Favorable Test Coverage, Generating More Revenue, and Improving Patient Care”

Jessie Conta
Laboratory Stewardship Consultant,
PLUGS / Pickhandle Consulting,
Seattle, WA

Jane Dickerson
PhD, Division Head, Lab Medicine,
Seattle Children’s Hospital,
Seattle, WA
BREAKOUT SESSION

3:45 PM - 4:35 PM
“Current State of Private Practice Pathology: Disruptive Trends and Action Steps to Protect Pathologist Income and Boost Practice Revenue”

Robert Tessier
Panelist and Co-Founder
Panel of National Pathology Leaders

Allegra E. Klein
MBA,
Executive Director,
Panel of National Pathology Leaders
BREAKOUT SESSION

3:45 PM - 4:35 PM
“Implementing the Beaker LIS in 40 Hospitals Across Five States: Lessons from Accomplishing the Incredible in Only Four Implementation Waves”

Deanna Franke
PhD, DABCC,
Technical Director – Core Laboratory,
Atrium Health,
Gastonia, North Carolina
BREAKOUT SESSION

3:45 PM - 4:35 PM
“Why Today’s Evolution of Multi-Hospital Health Systems Requires an Effective Lab Outreach Program for Health Systems’ Strategies to Succeed”
BREAKOUT SESSION

3:45 PM - 4:35 PM
“Repurposing COVID-19 Automation and Workflow to Expand the Infectious Disease Test Menu, Win More Market Share, and Increase Lab Revenue”
GENERAL SESSION

4:45 PM - 5:30 PM
TBD
RECEPTION

5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Grand Reception
Wednesday, April 26 (Top)
REGISTRATION

7:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Registration
BREAKFAST

7:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Continental Breakfast
BENEFACTOR SESSIONS

7:30 AM - 8:20 AM
XIFIN, AIMA, Synergen Health, Clinisys
MASTER CLASS

7:30 AM - 8:20 AM
“New Class III CPT Codes for Digital Pathology: Why They Are a Trigger to Better Outcomes and Pathologist Reimbursement and How They Can Bring DP Patients to Your Lab”

Esther Abels
MSc, Biomedical Regulatory Health Science Expert,
Boston, MA
MASTER CLASS

7:30 AM - 8:20 AM
Tapping Consumer Demand for Lab Tests: Expanding Mobile Phlebotomy to Deliver a Fully-Digital Experience That Includes Orders, Tracking, Reports, and Claims Management
How do labs address their needs for specimen collections when the physician or healthcare provider does not draw in their office, lab does not have their own PSC network, or they sell direct to consumer?
Having an easy access draw site, convenient to where a patient can have their phlebotomy or specimen collections properly performed is an expensive proposition and even more difficult now due to staffing issues. Finding a solution that meets the compliance needs of the Anti-Kickback Statutes, while also affordable has been difficult if not impossible to manage if at all possible.
My One Medical Source (MOMS) is a solution to address this need and has origins from addressing this need from experience in building Cleveland HeartLab (now Quest). Addressing the need for greater access for labs to be able to direct patients with either a lab order or kit from their lab is how a fast start lab agreed to use MOMS as their national specimen collection solution.
2020 GeneSystems signed on with MOMS at the EWC 2022 to help address their needs for having a brick and mortar phlebotomy solution where they could help patients who ordered their advanced testing, to find a location near them to have their draw performed. Using the MOMS MAPs: Medical Access Point™ network, 2020 GeneSystems now has a national solution to help increase their ability to have specimens properly collected, prepared and shipped back to their lab for resulting.

Jonathan M. Cohen
President & CEO,
20/20 GeneSystems, Inc.,
Gaithersburg, MD

Bradley Seybert
President/Founder,
My One Medical Source (MOMS), Westlake, OH
BENEFACTOR SESSIONS

8:30 AM - 9:20 AM
Beckman Coulter, hc1, ELLKAY
MASTER CLASS

8:30 AM - 9:20 AM
“Best practices in Genetic Test Coding, Billing, Collections, with Prior-Authorization insights”
MASTER CLASS

8:30 AM - 9:20 AM
“Guerrilla Lean in Your Lab: Implementing Lean & Kaizen Events without Permission to Achieve Immediate Cost Savings, Improve Quality, and Boost Staff Productivity and Satisfaction”
In this presentation, the learner will understand the principles, tools and concepts of Lean applied to the healthcare environment. We discuss the “ground swell” or “boots on the ground Lean” that equip the worker with the tactics and tools to take control of their wasteful, inefficient, chaotic environment. The tactic called “Guerilla Lean” magnifies the impact of process improvement through development and empowerment of small groups within a local work-cell structure. Through kaizen, we discuss engaging workers in combat to stop firefighting and to take control of their own worn and defective work processes. The aim is to achieve immediate cost savings, workplace productivity and employee satisfaction.
MASTER CLASS

8:30 AM - 9:20 AM
“Re-engineering the Classic Histology Laboratory: Enabling the Remote Histotechnologist with New Tools that Improve Productivity, Automate Processes, and Protect Quality”
MASTER SESSION

8:30 AM - 9:20 AM
“Positioning Lab Services to Meet the Changing Needs of Healthcare, Physicians, Patients, and Payers: How Five Primary Trends Create Profitable Opportunities for Your Laboratory”
MASTER SESSION

8:30 AM - 9:20 AM
Expanding IVD and Lab Vendor Market Share: Today’s Important New Differences How Lab Buyers Search Products, Select Vendors, and Make Buying Decisions

Ron Rohrer
Senior Sales Executive
The Dark Intelligence Group,
Indianapolis, IN

Deb Hewitt-Smith
Principal,
Talking Labs!,
Spicewood, Texas
GENERAL SESSION

9:30 AM - 10:45 AM
“Rethinking the Lab’s Role to Support Precision Medicine, Serve the New Consumer, and Create Value from Data to Support Improved Patient Care and Save on Cost of Care”
GENERAL SESSION

10:05 AM - 10:45 AM
“Understanding Laboratory Benefit Management (LBM) Programs: Why They Exist, What They Do, and the Benefits They Offer to Patients, Physicians, and Payers”

Cristi Radford
MS, CGC,
Product Director, Optum,
Eden Prairie, MN

Jason Bush
PhD, Executive Vice President,
Product, Avalon Healthcare Solutions, Tampa, FL
AM BREAK

10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
AM Break
GNERAL SESSION

11:00 AM - 11:35 AM
“How We Used Agribusiness Technology to Create Ultra-High Throughput PCR Testing during the Pandemic: Lessons Learned, Current Use, and New Opportunities to Directly Serve Consumers Going Forward”
GENERAL SESSION

11:35 AM - 12:10 PM
Panel: Extracting the Important Lessons from the Executive War College 2023

Robert Michel
President,
The Dark Intelligence Group,
Austin, TX

Jason Bush
PhD, Executive Vice President,
Product, Avalon Healthcare Solutions, Tampa, FL

William Morice II
MD, PhD,
CEO and President,
Mayo Clinic Laboratories,
Rochester, MN

Cristi Radford
MS, CGC,
Product Director, Optum,
Eden Prairie, MN
LUNCH

12:10 PM - 1:30 PM
Networking Lunch
PANEL

1:30 PM - 2:20 PM
Genomic Testing: How Labs and Payers Can Work Together To Achieve Better Outcomes and Health Equity

Karen McFadden
Retired SVP,
LabCorp,
Burlington, NC

James Almas
MD,
National Medical Director, LabCorp,
Burlington, NC
PANEL

1:30 PM - 2:20 PM
Clinical Laboratory Certification and Accreditation: New Developments, Most Common Deficiencies, and Making Your Lab “Assessment Ready”

Nora Hess
MBA, MT (ASCP), PMP,
Senior Consultant, Accumen

Denise Driscoll
MS, MT (ASCP) SBB,
Senior Director, Accreditation and Regulatory Affairs, College of American Pathologists

Kathy Nucifora
MPH, MT (ASCP), Chief Operating Officer, COLA Inc.

Amy Null
MBA, MT (ASCP), SBB,
Associate Director,
Standards Interpretation Group, Laboratory Accreditation,
The Joint Commission,
Oakbrook Terrace , IL,
PANEL

1:30 PM - 2:20 PM
“Healthcare Interoperability: Status and Vector of the Federal Law, Regulation, and Enforcement, along with Responsibilities and Opportunities It Provides to the Clinical Laboratory Industry”

Sara Shanti
Attorney,
Sheppard Mullin,
Chicago, IL

Alice Leiter
Attorney,
Manatt Health & Phillips,
Los Angeles, California
BREAKOUT SESSION

1:30 PM - 2:20 PM
“Advancing Digital Pathology Adoption with Effective Workflow and Informatics Changes from Histology and Scanning through Diagnosis, Reporting and Billing”

Dibson Dibe Gondim
MD,
Director of Pathology Informatics, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY
BREAKOUT SESSION

1:30 PM - 2:20 PM
“Community Hospital Success and Revenue Generation with Laboratory Outreach: What We Learned in Earning the Test Referrals from 100% of Our System’s Office-Based Physician Practices”

Sanjay Timbadia
MBA, BSc. MT (ASCP),
Director Of Laboratory Services,
Tucson Medical Center,
Tucson,AZ

Sandy Richman
MBA, C(ASCP),
Director, Healthcare Advisory Services, ARUP Laboratories,
Salt Lake City, UT
BREAKOUT SESSION

1:30 PM - 2:20 PM
Why an ‘Innovation Center’ Is a Force Multiplier for Your Lab: How to Create Productive Collaborations, Implement New Ideas, and Drive Diversified Revenue
This session will focus on the development of Sonora Quest Laboratories’ Innovation Center of Excellence, including complexities of navigating innovation within a joint venture, and determining the organizational synergies required to support ideation and operationalization. We’ll provide lessons learned while standing up this new business unit, as well as case studies and best practices to illustrate how integrating an Innovation Center can accelerate revenue and improve your value proposition.

Kim Zeigler
Director, Innovation Center of Excellence,
Sonora Quest Laboratories,
Mesa, AZ

Sky Soom
Innovation Analyst,
Sonora Quest Laboratories,
Phoenix, AZ
BREAKOUT SESSION

2:30 PM - 3:20 PM
“Obtaining Favorable Coverage Decisions for Genetic Tests and Genome Sequencing Services: Essential Steps with Payers and Understanding What’s Next in Genome-based Diagnostic Technologies”
GENERAL SESSION

3:20 PM - 3:35 PM
Delivering More Value to Physicians, Patients, and Payers with Lab Testing Services: How Labs Can Best Meet Healthcare’s Changing Needs
MASTER CLASS

Schedule TBD
Genetic Testing and Genome Sequencing for Community Hospital Labs

Honey Reddi
PhD, FACMG,
Professor & Chief, Division of Precision Medicine and Cytogenetics,
Medical College of Wisconsin
MASTER CLASS

Schedule TBD
“Attracting, Hiring, and Retaining MTs, Histotechs, Cytotechs, and Other Lab Scientists in Today’s Market: What Candidates Want, What Labs Want, and What’s Hot in Bonus and Retention Offers”
WORKSHOP

Schedule TBD
Laboratory and Pathology Mergers & Acquisitions Workshop
Session Chair: Richard Cooper
What’s Changing with Buyers of Hospital Labs, Independent Labs, Genetic labs, and Pathology Groups
Panel Chair/Moderator: Richard Cooper
Panel: John Ruck, Anil Asnani, Matthew Urbanek
Bringing Your Hospital Lab or Independent Lab to Market for the Optimal Price: Timing, Pitfalls, Showing the Best “Face”
Panel Chair/Moderator: Christal Contini
Panel: Christopher Jahnle, Gary Huff, Myles Standish, Jeff Downs
Best Paths to Attracting Capital and Crafting Effective Growth Strategies that Support a High-Multiple Sales Valuation for Genetic Testing Labs
Panel Chair/Moderator: Melissa Butterworth
Panel: Bryan Firestone, Emily Johnson, Others To Be Named
Understanding Regulatory Compliance and Operational Landmines That Often Disrupt Lab Sales and Closings
Panel Chair/Moderator: To Be Named
Panel: Elizabeth Sullivan, Diana Voorhees

Richard Cooper
Partner, McDonald Hopkins,
Cleveland, OH

Christal Contini
Attorney, McDonald Hopkins,
Cleveland, OH

Bryan Firestone
Founder, U.S. HealthTek,
Haymarket, VA

Melissa Butterworth
President & CEO,
Advanced Strategic Partners,
Hollywood, FL

Elizabeth Sullivan
Attorney, McDonald Hopkins,
Cleveland, OH

Christopher Jahnle
Managing Director,
Haverford Healthcare Advisors,
Radnor, PA

Anil Asnani
SVP Strategy & Corporate Development, LabCorp
Burlington, NC

John Ruck
Director of Finance & Head of Corporate Development, PathAI,
Barrington, RI

Matthew Urbanek
Senior Vice President, Finance,
Eurofins Clinical Diagnostics,
Lenexa, Kansas

Gary Huff
President/Owner, Take Charge LLC,
Hampstead, NC

Myles Standish
Founder,
Sound Medical Laboratory,
Redmond, WA

Emily Johnson
Emily Johnson, JD,
Member, McDonald Hopkins LLC,
Chicago, IL

Jeff Downs
Vice President,
Strategic Relationships, Accumen,
Scottsdale, AZ

Diana Voorhees
MA, MLS, SH, CLCP, CPCO,
Principal/CEO
DV & Associates, Inc.
Salt Lake City, UT
MASTER CLASS

Schedule TBD
“Winning Strategies for Attracting, Hiring, and Retaining Top-Performing Lab Managers during the ‘Great Resignation’”
MASTER CLASS

Schedule TBD
“Using Data to Drive Patient Engagement, Tighten Patient-Lab Bonds and Generate New Revenue from Increased Patient Loyalty to the Lab”
ROUNDTABLE

Schedule TBD
“Academic Pathology Roundtable”
This workshop is an opportunity for members of academic departments of pathology and interested industry partners to share in their successes, identify challenges – recognized and not yet recognized, and learn about effective approaches to protecting and enhancing the role of academic pathology in these rapidly changing times. This roundtable is a highly interactive session, in which questions are teed up by the facilitators, and discussion given by all participants.

James Crawford
MD, PhD,
Senior Vice President of Laboratory Services, Northwell Health, Greenvale, NY
ROUNDTABLE

Schedule TBD
“Lab Informatics and Lab CIO Roundtable”

Josh Kramer
Managing Partner,
Leapfrog Consulting Group,
Teaneck, NJ

Merve Ozkus
Sr. Vice President,
Chief Information Officer,
Bio-Reference Laboratories,
Elmwood Park, NJ
Thursday, April 27 (Top)
REGISTRATION

7:30 AM - 3:45 PM
Registration
BREAKFAST

7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Continental Breakfast
WORKSHOP 1

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Genetic Testing and Genome Sequencing for Community Hospital Labs: Improving Patient Outcomes Using Newest Sequences and Latest Technology

Honey Reddi, PhD, FACMG
Professor & Chief, Division of Precision Medicine and Cytogenetics,
Medical College of Wisconsin

Diana Voorhees
MA, MLS, SH, CLCP, CPCO,
Principal/CEO
DV & Associates, Inc.
Salt Lake City, UT

Arezou A. Ghazani
M.Sc., Ph.D., FACMG,
Director of Clinical Genomics,
Brigham and Women’s Hospital,
Boston, MA

Diana Richard
Sr. Director, Pathology and Strategic Development, XIFIN,
San Diego, CA

Matthew Lebo
PhD,
Director of Bioinformatics,
Harvard Medical School,
Cambridge, MA

Matt Stachowiak
VP, Product Innovation,
GenomOncology,
Cleveland, Ohio
More and more hospital labs and local labs are recognizing the opportunity to do genetic testing and whole genome sequencing on-site for several important benefits. First, local genetic testing/genome sequencing slashes the time to an- swer, giving the local lab competive advantage over national labs. Second, doing these assays locally creates the oppor- tunity to generate additional revenue. Three, this local testing creates more loyalty with referring physicians and that, in turn, helps the lab expand market share, generate greater test volume, and benefit from the resulting economies of scale in lab operations.
These are the reasons why you and your key team members will want to join us for this one-day intensive on establish- ing an on-site program of genetic testing and whole genome sequencing. You’ll learn what steps are required to accept a sample, extra and multiply the DNA, then generate the DNA sequences. Because information technology is essential to interpreting and reporting the resulting data, you will hear directly from experts the best and most cost-effective ways to accomplish this step and deliver accurate, timely results to referring physicians.
Also during this day of discovery, major suppliers for gene sequencing solutions, data interpretation solutions, and oth- er necessary services will be on hand, both as exhibitors and in presentations at our special product showcase. Add it all up and this is the perfect opportunity for you to get everything you need in one day to confidently kick-start your own lab’s on-site genetic testing and genome sequencing program. Insure your place by registering today!
AGENDA FOR GENETIC TESTING/GENOME SEQUENCING WORKSHOP
Wednesday | April 26, 2023 |
5:00 PM-7:00 PM | Reception and Exhibition |
Thursday | April 27, 2023 |
7:00 AM-8:00 AM | Continental Breakfast and Exhibition |
8:00 AM-8:10 AM | Introduction and Overview Chair & Moderator: Honey Reddi, PhD, FACMG Professor & Chief, Division of Precision Medicine and Cytogenetics, Medical College of Wisconsin |
8:10 AM-8:30 AM | Genome Sequencing Technology Overview: Genetics, Informatics, IT Analysis, Specimens Speaker to be announced |
8:30 AM-9:00 AM | Pre-Analytical Essentials: Specimens, Raw Materials, Data as Specimens Speaker to be announced |
9:00 AM-9:30 AM | How to Select and Implement the Right LIMS Speaker to be announced |
9:30 AM-10:00 AM | MORNING BREAK and Exhibition |
10:00 AM-11:40 AM | Showcase of Vendors with Genetic Tests, Genome Sequencing Instruments, Informatics and Analytical Solutions (10-minute presentations by each vendor) |
12:00 PM-1:00 PM | LUNCH and Exhibition |
1:00 PM-1:20 PM | Turning Data into Results with Secondary Analysis: QA Steps, Alignment and Assembly of Reads, Variant Calling Speaker to be announced |
1:20 PM-1:50 PM | Tertiary Analysis: Mutation, Gene, and Transcript Annotation, Interpretation of Genomic Variants, Assigning Meaning to Variant Speaker to be announced |
1:50 PM-2:20 PM | Payment Opportunities in Genetic Testing and Whole Genome Sequencing: Understanding Payer Requirements and Proven Steps to Optimize Collections Speaker to be announced |
2:20 PM-2:40 PM | AFTERNOON BREAK |
2:40 PM 4:00 PM | What’s Ahead with New CPT Codes, Coverage Guidelines and Involving Genetic Testing and Ge- nome Sequencing: Activities of the American College of Medical Genetics and the Medicare MolDx Program Speaker to be announced |
4:00 PM-4:10 PM | Summary and Concluding Remarks Honey Reddi, PhD, FACB, Chief, Division of Precision Medicine and Cytogenetics, Medical College of Wisconsin |
4:10 PM | END Genetic Testing/Genome Sequencing Workshop |
WORKSHOP 2

Thursday, April 27
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Lean Fundamentals for Lab Leaders: Proven Ways to Swiftly Slash Lab Costs While Boosting Quality and Improving Staff Retention

Charlie Protzman
CEO & Founding Partner,
Business Improvement Group

Dan Protzman
Partner and VP of
Customer Solutions,
Business Improvement Group
As you know, these are unprecedented times for the clinical laboratory profession. Lab costs are skyrocketing and supply chains are unreliable. Staff shortages are acute and lab managers are scrambling to manage overtime, minimize burnout, and retain top producers. These are all the reasons why you and your key managers need to join us for this special session on Lean Fundamentals.
Maybe you’re new to Lean. Or perhaps you’re looking for an even greater understanding of its principles and how to use them more effectively in your lab. Whatever your knowledge level, this special one-day Lean Boot Camp will give you all the information, skills, and confidence you need to take your lab to the next level.
Learn the Lean fundamentals and how to master many of its core concepts. Find out why Lean has emerged as one of the most powerful quality-management systems. Understand why the nation’s top-performing lab organizations use it to achieve the multiple benefits of smart cost-cutting and improving quality, even as it lowers stress levels, lifts morale, and significantly helps with staff retention across all functions and positions.
You’ll get techniques and best practices, all laid out in an easy-to-understand manner. Your leaders for this valuable ses- sion are Charles Protzman and Dan Protzman, both Master Black Belts with deep experience helping clinical labs and pathology groups successfully implement and sustain Lean.
This one-day intensive equips you with a solid grasp of Lean fundamentals, using exercises that demonstrate how they can transform your organization. Case studies and real-life examples will help bring these techniques to life. By the end of the day, you’ll be able to develop a continuous improvement roadmap for your own organization, with proven strate- gies for sustaining Lean in your lab. You will also receive a Certificate of Achievement for your Lean skills development and is recognized by your lab’s management team as a worthwhile accomplishment.
AGENDA
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM | Continental Breakfast and Exhibition |
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM | Introduction, expectation, ground rules, agenda, and what results to expect with Lean |
8:45 AM – 9:45 AM | Lab Workflow Game -Batch |
10:05 AM – 10:15 AM | Break and Exhibition |
10:15 AM – 10:55 AM | Batching vs. Lean (One Piece Flow) with video |
10:55 Am – 12:00 PM | Lean Business System Overview, Paradigm Video |
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Lunch and Exhibition |
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM | Lean and Change Management |
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Lean BASICS® Model and 6 Sigma Tools ▻ Video on Setup Reagent Change ▻ Video on Standard Work Improvement ▻ Video on Histology Embedding, Batch vs. single piece flow |
2:30 PM – 2:45 PM | Break |
2:30 PM – 3:45 PM | Lab Game Lean |
3:45 PM – 4:00 PM | Bringing it all together; process improvement exercise; Summary; Questions |
4:00 PM | End of Lean Fundamentals Workshop |
WORKSHOP 3

8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
‘Breaking Pathology’s Glass Slide’: Ways to Build Revenue with Digital Pathology, New Slide Scanning CPT Code, and More
AM BREAK

10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
Break / Exhibit / Displays
LUNCH

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Lunch