Strengthening Diagnosis, Cure, and Prevention of Diseases
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he current situation has reaffirmed the importance of clinical laboratories and their role in the diagnosis, cure, and prevention of many diseases.
Maximum medical decisions depend upon laboratory test results. Accurate diagnosis can prevent and control many diseases and consequently improve the health and safety of the patient. The COVID-19 pandemic only pronounced the need for clinical laboratories. Over the years there has been extensive growth in the range of tests, advanced equipment, technology, and services that are quick and efficient. Automation, for instance, has reduced the time needed to test and deliver the results. It has also hastened the billing process. Technology has radically changed the way samples were collected, tested, diagnosed, analyzed and the way results were sent. Clinical lab technology will play more vital roles in healthcare services in the future. Information Technology has and will keep impacting the functioning of clinical laboratories in the future. IT has significantly improved marketing and advertising strategies. Be it general pathology or specialized services like molecular, PCR (polymerase chain reaction), gene mapping and sequencing, cytogenetics, and FISH (Fluorescence in situ hybridization), hematology and flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, surgical pathology, next-generation sequencing, and many more, clinical laboratories have made huge leaps to improve their services with advanced technologies. Researchers are probing the probability of analyzing autism earlier in the blood through machine learning.
Clinical laboratories have made things easy for patients through their point of care testing, and home testing besides lab testing. Nanotechnology will be playing a major role in catering services to patients and medical professionals. With the latest technologies at their fingertips, patients and doctors can now check the test results online. Various research is conducted in laboratories and the advent of the pandemic has only multiplied the number of research. To honor the diligent services of clinical laboratories, we came up with this edition of Insights Care - 10 Most Trusted Clinical Laboratories in 2021. We have featured some of the clinical laboratories with high standards and precise testing, cutting-edge technology, state-of-the-art laboratories, and qualified staff. They have been consistently upgrading their systems and services consistently to deliver the best. Read this edition to discover more about these laboratories and how they utilized science and technology optimally to make a difference in the healthcare landscape. Have a fruitful read!
Sumita Sarkar
Editor’s Note
Cover Story
Leveraging Innovation, Delivering Excellence
08 Articles 20 WINDS OF CHANGE Impact of COVID-19 on the Healthcare Industry
32 HEALTHY WEALTHY Five Reasons Why Regular Health Check-ups are Important
Contents 16 Cells Science Systems Dedicated to Improving Health through Innovation
24 Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Enabling Seamless Access to Quality Healthcare
36 Ecotown Diagnostics Strengthening the Diagnostics Space with a Tech-Centric Approach
CxO A Long Goodbye Daniel Shapiro
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Most Trusted
Clinical Laboratories in 2021
Company Name
Featuring
Description
ACM Global Laboratories acmgloballab.com
Brian Wright President
ACM Global Laboratories, an affiliate of Rochester Regional Health in Rochester, New York, is a recognized leader global clinical trial testing services.
Athena Diagnostics athenadiagnostics.com
Sat Dev Batish Chief Director
Athena Diagnostics is an imaging centre located now at Alwarpet. The centre is now 6 years of age and is managed by a team of four women radiologists, who are specialists in their chosen field, and with a combined experience of more than 75 years.
Bloodworks Northwest bloodworksnw.org
Sue Nixon Chief Marketing & Engagement Officer
Bloodworks Northwest is a blood bank and medical research institute headquartered in Seattle, Washington, that serves 90 hospitals in western Washington and Oregon.
Cell Science Systems cellsciencesystems.com
Roger Davis Deutsch Founder and CEO
Cell Science Systems Corp. is a specialty clinical laboratory that develops and performs laboratory testing in immunology and cell biology supporting the personalized treatment and prevention of chronic disease.
Cheyenne Regional Medical Center cheyenneregional.org
Kerry Ruadil Laboratory Director
Cheyenne Regional Medical Center's mission is to nurture and improve the health of individuals and the quality of life for its community.
Ecotown Diagnostics ecotowndiagnostics.com
Karun Kaniyar Co-Founder and Director
Ecotown Diagnostics is a vision realized in the direction of providing Quality diagnostic services to the clients.
Enzo Clinical Labs enzoclinicallabs.com
Bruce Dey VP Sales and Marketing
Enzo Clinical Labs, Inc. is a full-service clinical reference laboratory with 40 years’ experience in improving healthcare through innovative technology, with a focus on women’s health.
Fresenius Medical Care freseniusmedicalcare.com
Rice Powell CEO and Chairman
Fresenius Medical Care offers products and services along the entire dialysis value chain from a single source.
HudsonAlpha Clinical Services Lab clinicallab.org
Kristina Keogh Economic Development Marketing Specialist
The HudsonAlpha Clinical Services Lab, LLC., a wholly-owned subsidiary of HudsonAlpha Institue for Biotechnology, offers whole genome sequencing and analysis in a CAP/CLIA laboratory setting.
United Clinical Laboratory labunited.com
Luisa Bonilla Laboratory Manager
United Clinical Laboratory in West Palm Beach, Florida offers a wide range of lab testing services for your business.
Cover Story
Leveraging Innovation, Delivering Excellence
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he COVID-19 pandemic was a wakeup call for everyone. Impacting common people, organizations, and economies, this pandemic has compelled us to rethink our priorities. The same can be said about organizations, especially those operating in the healthcare services sector. Speaking specifically about laboratories and the significant role they have played in aiding healthcare and pharmaceutical companies in the war against the pandemic, the contribution has been immeasurable. To bring into spotlight such eminent clinical lab service providers, we at Insights Care have derived this edition titled, 10 Most Trusted Clinical Laboratories in 2021. And one of the most prominent global clinical trial testing services providers that we came across is ACM Global Laboratories. Headquartered in Rochester, NY, ACM Global Laboratories operates in more than 65 countries around the globe, with wholly owned facilities in the U.S.A., UK, India, and Singapore.
Our global studies account for more than 60 percent of our central laboratory business, and we operate in approximately 7,000 sites across 65 countries.
Brian Wright | President
10 Most Trusted Clinical Laboratories in 2021
The organization’s full-time staff of laboratory experts performs millions of tests annually, spanning all medical disciplines including pathology, microbiology, molecular diagnostics, toxicology and more. In the following interview, Brian Wright, the President of ACM Global Laboratories shares valuable insights regarding the current landscape of the clinical trials testing vertical and how the organization has sustained its competency within the niche. Below are the highlights of the interview: Please brief our audience about ACM Global Laboratories, its values, and the key aspects of its stronghold within the medical diagnostics and clinical testing services space. ACM Global Laboratories was founded on the principle that research partnerships depend on unmatched expertise, and an unwavering dedication to customer service and shared goals. Our experts have longstanding histories in central laboratory services and patient care, allowing us to meet our customers’ goals with a vision of how they will impact lives for the better. These are the drivers that have propelled us forward from our inception as a medical diagnostics business in 1975 and emerging as a full-service laboratory business in 1996, to becoming a global clinical laboratory research solutions provider with locations in Rochester, NY, Horsham, PA, Mumbai, Singapore, and York, UK today. Our global studies account for more than 60 percent of our central laboratory business, and we operate in approximately 7,000 sites across 65
countries. This expansive reach is possible due to our network of wholly owned laboratories and our longstanding relationships with multiple, carefully selected partner laboratories. Through this worldwide network, we are able to navigate the complexities of transporting samples and supplies globally by validating compliance with local regulations, managing couriers and shipments and providing shipping options that optimize cost, efficiency and reliability. We also have a national toxicology and infectious disease testing service line, Drugscan. With over 35 years of experience in toxicology testing via their CAP-accredited and SAMSHAcertified laboratory, Drugscan partners with organizations and providers to provide infectious disease testing, prescription drug and addiction monitoring, specialized drug testing and workplace screening programs to clients across the United States. As an organization we passionately work to serve our customers, we embrace and drive change within our organization, empower our employees and partners to drive towards excellence, and have open and honest conversations about how to accomplish all of this and more. We believe execution matters, that we must get it right the first time, that people and patients are our priority, that integrity and transparency together work to build trust and confidence, all the while challenging the status quo with the goal of innovation and education, on a worldwide scale. Tell us more about the offerings that make your organization stand out from the competition? At ACM Global Laboratories, we take quality assurance and accountability
ACM Global Laboratories was founded on the principle that research partnerships depend on unmatched expertise, and an unwavering dedication to customer service and shared goals.
seriously. It’s one of our core internal principles. Knowing the life-changing potential of clinical trial outcomes, we put the patient first every step of the process. Our dedication to being purposefully patient-driven is reflected in the highquality work provided by our team members every day around the globe. We do this by being determined to always find a solution, anticipating, and solving challenges and questions before they occur, and working with empathy that what we do every day affects patients and their families. Our clinical trials testing and toxicology business segments combine to position ACM as one of the largest independent central laboratories in the world. We are using that strength to remain focused on our mission of partnering with clients to bring health, healing and hope to patients around the globe. Brian, please brief us about your journey in the healthcare industry. I began my professional career as a Combat Arms Officer in the United States Army. After serving as an activeduty Army Officer from 2003 to 2008, achieving the rank of Captain, I decide to take my passion for serving and focus it in the healthcare sector.
ACM’s dedication to being purposefully patient-driven is reflected in the high-quality work provided by our team members every day around the globe.
After separating from the Army, I begin my career in healthcare by accepting an operational leadership role with Stryker, a Fortune 500 medical device company. Over the next 12 years, I have had the opportunity to serve in various operational leadership and general management roles with TE Connectivity’s Medical Products Business Unit, Remedi Senior Care, and SP Industries, all of which are in the Healthcare or Life Science sectors. For the last two and a half years I have
had the privilege of being the President of ACM Global Laboratories, where I am responsible for leading a global network of central laboratory and clinical support services. I began my professional career in the military because I wanted to be able to serve those around me. This same drive has focused my career in the healthcare sector because I see our industry as an opportunity to continue living out my passion for service by leading organizations that at the end of the day have a positive impact on people. I cannot think of anything that could be more fulfilling than being a part of ACM Global Laboratories and working with our exceptional employees who daily deliver the actionable clinical insights that are critical to fulfilling our mission. What is your opinion on the impact of the current pandemic on the global healthcare sector, and what
challenges did you come across during the initial phase of the pandemic?
Our clinical trials testing and toxicology business segments combine to position ACM as one of the largest independent central laboratories in the world.
Overall, I think the pandemic has pushed the healthcare sector to be much more flexible and adaptable. Clinical trial research companies and central research organizations have had to find ways to complete studies faster than they ever have before, especially with the urgent need for vaccines and therapeutics for COVID-19. Ultimately, this has challenged the way that we think about patient recruitment, clinical continuity, and logistics on a global scale. The pandemic has also forced us to become more innovative with things like hybrid trials, remote nursing, and telemedicine to ensure we are able to provide necessary patient care in a virtual environment. The onset of the pandemic forced laboratory testing companies like ours to figure out innovative was to continue to provide
patient care and access to diagnostic testing when patients were limited in their ability to get to their doctor’s office. For example, our national toxicology business, Drugscan quickly developed and deployed a virtual oral fluid collection solution to facilitate specimen collection right in the patient’s home, without compromising the need for a monitored specimen collection or jeopardizing the chain of custody requirements for a valid drug test. This allowed us to continue to provide essential drug monitoring and testing, in a convenient, secure, and patient-centered way in the middle of the pandemic. In your opinion, what could be the future of the diagnostics and laboratory services sector post the pandemic? Our industry is primed for rapid growth post-pandemic. The pandemic has led more scientists, businesses, and governments to question and prioritize how they can help to facilitate the discovery of new vaccines, treatments, and monitoring tools across all therapeutic areas. This enhanced focus is going to drive increased investment in the clinical trials and diagnostic testing sectors, resulting in accelerated clinical trials, and innovative new was to prevent, diagnose, treat, and cure different disease states. I also think that the pandemic will drive accelerated consolidation in the diagnostics and laboratory services space. Many companies struggled with the ebbs and flows of the pandemic, and we are already starting to see an accelerated pace of consolidation across the small to mid-size space, and even at the macro level with large, global CROs making strategic
acquisitions. I would expect this to continue as clinical research organizations seek to diversify their therapeutic expertise and service offerings, and diagnostic laboratories seek to increase their scale and expand their capabilities. As an established leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts aspiring to venture into healthcare services space? The healthcare services sector is undergoing a period of disruptive growth and innovation. At ACM Global Laboratories, the key to our success has been a relentless focus on creating a patient-centric culture that is flexible, responsive, and easy to do business with. We prioritize quality and a ‘get it right the first time’ mentality with everything that we do, because what we do has an impact on people’s lives every day. At ACM Global Laboratories, our mission is to deliver actionable clinical insights that lead to therapies and treatments that provide health, healing and hope to patients around the world. How do you envision on scaling your organization’s operations in 2021? At ACM, we are extremely bullish on the market, and we are continuing to focus our investments on providing the highest level of quality and service to our clients – because we truly understand that there is a patient behind everything that we do. All our investments are focused on equipping our business with the right people, processes, systems, and technology that will ensure a superior level of quality and service so that we can effectively, efficiently, and
We prioritize quality and a ‘get it right the first time’ mentality with everything that we do, because what we do has an impact on people’s lives every day. responsibly scale our business. We are also making sure that we develop and deploy innovative technology solutions that allow us to be easy to do business, and provide results in a secure, mobile fashion to our clinical trials and toxicology clients and their patients.
Dedicated to Improving Health through Innovation o you remember the first time when you had an allergy due to a particular food item? Did you know that every five minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room? Millions of people are affected by food allergies, and most of them have potentially life-threatening symptoms.
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Cell Science Systems (CSS) is a CLIA and State licensed clinical lab, an FDA registered medical device manufacturer. Our flagship technology is the ALCAT Test® which is used to detect foods, chemicals, medicinal, and other substances that cause adverse reactions through a non-IgE pathway.
To reduce these threats, clinical laboratories have come up with ground-breaking tests that can detect hidden allergies and offer personalized dietary consultations effectively for those who seek improved health and well-being.
So, these are delayed-type reactions that can induce chronic inflammation via an innate immune system pathway and all the sequelae that follow. It works very well with GI disorders, migraines, skin rashes, metabolic issues (particularly weight gain and body composition) a range of autoimmune disorders, like arthritis, fatigue, and others.
In our venture towards seeking such trusted laboratories, we came across Cells Science Systems Corp., a clinical laboratory that develops and performs lab testing in immunology and cell biology, supporting the personalized treatment and prevention of chronic diseases. In the following interview, Roger Deutsch, Founder and CEO of Cells Science Systems, shares his insights about the current landscape of the industry and the company’s journey. Below are the highlights of the interview: Please brief our audience about your organization, its values, and the key aspects of its stronghold within the Clinical Laboratories services space.
We also offer an innovative, functional cellular test, based on how specialized cells of the peripheral immune system (lymphocytes) respond to specific micronutrients and botanical, based on enhancing the proliferative response when stimulated with a mitogen. This gives a very personalized view of how that individual’s critical immune response can be benefited by nutritional supplementation and, through a variation of that procedure, understand which antioxidants protect that person’s cells. These tests, taken together, are quite useful for personalizing a diet and nutrition and not just blindly taking supplements and eating according to the latest fads. We are all about prevention and helping people find the root cause of illness. We also own an entire company that
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10 Most Trusted Clinical Laboratories in 2021
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Cells Science Systems has been and continues to be involved in research collaborations as our testing is unique, disruptive, and benecial.
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Roger Deutsch Founder and CEO
provides lifestyle counseling based on the findings of our innovative and some proprietary diagnostics. It is called PreviMedica, and through that platform can offer a package to companies and organizations to improve the health of their team members. Tell us more about your organization’s services that make you stand out from the competition? Our flagship technology – the ALCAT Test, is the gold standard for food and chemical sensitivity testing. It is the only technology in this category to have been validated by top-tier institutions like Yale, Leipzig Georgetown U., and others. We have been and continue to be involved in research collaborations as our testing is unique, disruptive, and beneficial; because it is extremely accurate and precise and exerts a powerful effect on complicated health issues that are both costly and, in some cases, devastating. We offer other diagnostics in the preventive space. Our CICA (Celiac, IBS, Crohn’s Array) contains the key molecular and serologic markers for assessing the risk of GI disorders. We also test for key SNPs in the methylation cycle with a smart report that guides vitamin support for
enzyme deficiencies, as well as measurement of Telomer length, which is becoming more interesting to the assessment of disease risk. Roger, how did your journey in the healthcare industry begin? I got into this field because I had severe seasonal hay fever symptoms and related allergic conditions that were refractory to conventional treatment. I realized that I was kind of on my own to figure out how to live with my situation. What is your opinion on the impact of the current pandemic on the global healthcare sector, and how has your company fared during the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns? The current pandemic has exposed several weaknesses in our health care systems. The way I see it is that those who suffer the most from the infection are those who have underlying conditions. Our business has picked up during the pandemic because people who have deferred taking care of their health, who have allowed themselves to pack on the extra weight, and
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so forth, now know that that can make the difference between life and death. As word has gotten out there that we have some very powerful tools to strengthen and balance, the keyword here is “balance” the immune system; we have seen an increased interest in what we do. In your opinion, what could be the future of the clinical laboratories services sector post the pandemic? The most important finding, as far as I am concerned, is the discovery that viral-induced innate immune responses can lead to the development of what are called ‘NETs’, which stands for Neutrophil Extracellular Traps. NETs are a normal innate immune response that is useful in trapping and killing pathogens. However, if the body’s enzyme degradation systems are inadequate to meet the demand of extensive NETs or NETosis, the NET contents can be very toxic to host tissue and have been found in the critical organs of people who suffer the worst cases. This is a nascent area of medical research that was highlighted by the CV-19 pandemic.
NETs have been shown to drive cancer metastases, autoimmune disease, cardiovascular disease, cystic fibrosis, asthma, pneumonia, cardiovascular disease, and COVID fatality. There are many triggers, SARS CoV-19 being one of them. However, what the latest research from Yale and Georgetown, and Leipzig have shown is that foods can trigger NETs and that the ALCAT Test can tell which foods are relevant for each person. Further, when the innate immune cells are primed by constant exposure to offending foods and other environmental factors, the immune response is stronger but not necessarily balanced, which can lead to depletion of immune resources and abnormal reactivity, all of which is avoidable if one knows what to eat and what not to eat, according to their own unique biochemistry.
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Impact of
on the
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very industry has been affected by the COVID-19 virus in some way or the other. While most of the industries fell victim to the adverse impact of the virus, healthcare industries have suffered the most since the outbreak. The healthcare space has seen new ups and downs in recent times, making it a completely different industry than what it was before the coronavirus outburst.
These tough times inspired innovative ways of working in the industry, and the impact it had was simply remarkable and noticeable. In a way, the coronavirus outbreak triggered the radical changes that were needed in the healthcare industry. The impact of a virus forced the healthcare industry to change for good. Mobilized Resources
Economically the healthcare space has never faced a recession of any sort. However, the coronavirus has made things tough for the healthcare industry, as well as the lack of manpower to deal with the rising cases was difficult at the peak time of the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly cost the human race a lot of lives, but it has also impacted the healthcare space in ways that might have just revolutionized the whole industry.
Mobilized resources have made a difference in the current situation. The new normal was accepted by everyone, and despite the ease in the regulations, the modern resources are what most people and doctors prefer. Telehealth, which was yet to become a norm before the global coronavirus pandemic, grew rapidly 40 percent in just one year. Health care providers and patients relied more on video
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conferencing, emails, SMS, telephones, and other means to provide healthcare facilities. As the lockdown across the world restricted everyone’s movement. The one who has benefitted from these innovative approaches of the doctors were pregnant women, kids, and senior citizens.
coronavirus, which changed the approach of patients. The end-user became more aware and conscious about health. The new technology provided the tools that were needed for the patients to keep track of their health easily and without consulting any doctor.
Before and After Effect of COVID-19
The COVID-19 saw a rise in the use of electronic devices like a thermometer, watches, bands, etc. these devices not only help in keeping track of the health but also warn the user before any mishappening.
Ÿ Telehealth: Many things changed in the healthcare
industry after the outbreak. The most remarkable one was Telehealth. Earlier it was projected that the telehealth sector of the industry would grow up to 39 percent by 2025. However, the unpredictability of the coronavirus boosted the growth to 150 percent in the upcoming year. Ÿ Infrastructure: Apart from the dependency of the
telehealth means of providing healthcare, the healthcare sector also sought to solve the need for infrastructure. Investments from the government and the management improved the infrastructure of not just hospitals but also the surroundings. Despite the spending on health services dropping drastically, the improvements in the infrastructure and the sector as a whole made the difference. New tools, adoptions of new machinery, and adapting to the new normal also allowed the healthcare sector to focus more on educating and training. Since the infrastructure was improved with improved equipment, the aftereffect of that was the rise in employment in the sector. The coronavirus pandemic also showed the world the importance of training and education, as it helped many professionals to deal with the disease more proactively. This helped the healthcare sector to provide sound healthcare options.
Healthcare is adversely affected because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Though the resistance in the process, the healthcare space has carved an opportunity for itself. The impact of COVID-19 on the healthcare industry has only made the industry better and educated the whole sector. The virus is here to stay for a while, but the impact it has had on the healthcare sector is long-lasting and revolutionizing. The new methods of providing health care services like Telehealth or the use of modern wearable technology is here to stay. Apart from that this COVID-19 pandemic also showed us how dedicatedly the healthcare industry works at the time of need, and that is surely one of the major impacts that will often go unnoticed.
Ÿ Retention of healthcare professionals: The most
significant before and after effect of the COVID-19 was the pricing and retaining of healthcare professionals. Since the pricing and the spending was down, many patients across the globe retained their healthcare experts. The World Health Organization reported the shortage of 6 million nurses in one of their recent reports. Before 2020, the healthcare industry never had such a gap for healthcare professionals was not created. The change in approach for patients Patients are also an integral part of the healthcare industry. The world has witnessed the adverse effects of the
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-Ashlesh Khadse
Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Enabling Seamless Access to ality Healthcare ave you ever wondered what it takes to be an efficient healthcare provider? Or what aspects constitute to make a healthcare service not only functional but also one which nurtures and improves the quality of life of individuals?
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The laboratory has a very active Blood Bank department supporting the hospital as a Trauma level 3 Center (ACS). Our microbiology department boasts molecular testing platforms and actively participates in the antibiotic stewardship and infection control initiatives of the hospital.
Cheyenne Regional Medical Center is here to answer these crucial questions for you. Founded in the year 1867 in the state of Wyoming, Cheyenne Regional has an extensive experience in providing laboratory services that foster overall individual and community health.
More than 97% of laboratory tests are performed in-house providing faster turn-around-time. Our laboratory testing equipment are updated and top-of-the-line, offering an extensive testing menu. Our Laboratory staff all together bring 314 years of experience, they are recipients of awards within the hospital and pride themselves in having great customer service.
Kerry Ruadil, the Laboratory Director of Cheyenne Medical Center briefs us in the following interview about the core values of the Laboratory that make it an efficient healthcare provider successfully delivering comprehensive services even in times like the current pandemic. Please brief our audience about your organization, its values, and the key aspects of its stronghold within the Clinical Laboratories services space. Cheyenne Regional is a 206-bed hospital with 2,000 + employees, 200+ volunteers and 170+ medical staff. Cheyenne Regional inspires great health, putting service before self, our family cares for your family with compassion, experience, and innovation. Cheyenne Regional’s Laboratory Department maintains the largest, 24/7/365 reference laboratory in the state of Wyoming with more than 80 clients throughout Wyoming and neighboring states.
Tell us more about your organization’s services that make you stand out from the competition? Aside from Cheyenne Regional’s Laboratory service, the hospital was also designated as a Regional Trauma Center by the Wyoming Department of Health and the first hospital in Wyoming verified as a Regional Trauma Center by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Cheyenne Regional is among the top 8% of hospitals nationwide to provide cardiac patients with angioplasties within 90 minutes of entering the Emergency Department. Cheyenne Regional offers award-winning orthopedic services. Cheyenne Regional’s Radiology and Imaging department comprehensive center offers state-of-the art testing
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10 Most Trusted Clinical Laboratories in 2021
Cheyenne Regional is among the top 8% of hospitals nationwide to provide cardiac patients with angioplasties within 90 minutes of entering the Emergency Department
procedures. Cheyenne Regional offers a full service stateof-the-art 36- bed Emergency Department. Our cardiopulmonary department was ranked among the top 10% of hospitals nationwide and was a recipient of a Pulmonary Care Excellence Award TM. Kerry, please brief us about you and your journey in the healthcare industry. I started out as a pre-med student studying Medical Technology in the Philippines. After graduating from my bachelor’s degree, I found myself in the academia, teaching in the College of Arts and Sciences while pursuing my master’s degree. My Master’s thesis was accepted for presentation at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and I was awarded a grant to present in Seattle, Washington in 2004. Since Laboratory Science is my passion, I pursued opportunities in the US. One of my relatives referred me to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center and so I applied to one of the laboratory technologist positions, I was fortunately selected by Cheyenne Regional in 2007 and had gone through the work visa process to get authorized to work in the US. I started out as a generalist on evening shift, moved to night shift and then to dayshift where I was offered the Chemistry Department Lead position. I was then promoted to a Laboratory Supervisor, to a Laboratory Manager and to my current position as the Laboratory Director.
Kerry Ruadil Laboratory Director What is your opinion on the impact of the current pandemic on the global healthcare sector, and how has your company fared during the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns? The pandemic has affected every aspect of the healthcare sector, but most notably the financial aspect and the delivery of care. The loss of revenue and extensive cost of providing health care in turn impacts patient care, surgeries, and surgical outcomes. The world was ill-prepared for this pandemic: most hospitals faced staffing challenges and were short on most supplies. Cheyenne Regional is fortunate enough to have strong organizational leaders who kept us afloat during these hard times. We were able to keep our employees employed, while being able to give them their yearly merit increases. We have dedicated and engaged staff who recognized that we need to work together to get through the pandemic and went above and beyond. The covid measures that the organization instituted has kept both our staff and patients safe.
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In your opinion, what could be the future of the clinical laboratories services sector post the pandemic? I think that the Laboratory has always played a crucial role in patient care and this pandemic has magnified that. We thought we were getting a handle on this pandemic, but the increasing number of cases say otherwise. I think that the laboratory needs to be able to adapt quickly and be prepared for increased testing volumes due to the pandemic. Guided by past experiences, organizational strategic plans and data, the laboratory would be able to map out courses of action for future pandemics, like broader testing platforms and menus, more staffing capabilities, and better supply acquisition and management.
I think that healthcare is a very dynamic industry but at the same time a very competitive one. In this age of consumerism, consumers will pick the best one that fits their needs. I would say that one needs to have the passion to work for patients – this will lead to innovation, quality care and quest for excellence. How do you envision on scaling your organization’s operations in 2021? I would like to have more testing capabilities in house and have a resource pool of employees who can be mobilized when staffing needs arise. I would like to look into a laboratory inventory management system.
As an established leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts aspiring to venture into healthcare space? 26 | September 2021 | www.insightcare.com
About the author Dan Shapiro is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School. A lifelong Chicagoan, he has practiced trial law nationally for many years. He is a Trustee for the Brain Research Foundation (BRF) and, along with his three grown children, has raised over a quarter of a million dollars in the last 5 years for the BRF. “The Thin Ledge” is his debut book.
A Long Goodbye - by Daniel Shapiro 28 | September 2021 | www.insightcare.com
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moment and stood where I was. Never flinch? I flinched more times, and in more ways, than my pride permits me to recall.
She was deeply loved by a family that will grieve her loss forever. I have written about these things, but not here. Here, I am writing separately and frankly only about the experience of being a caretaker over a long period of time and the challenge that presents.
Now I am on the other side of all of that, but I can’t leave it behind, really. It is a part of me and always will be. Those memories. Those feelings. Sometimes even remnants of a rage that I kept mostly bottled up, an anger that was in part on her behalf, and in part, selfishly, just for me. What do I do with all of that now? How do I find a way to understand what happened? How do I find peace?
y wife passed away a year ago this past June following a very long, degenerative illness. She died far too young, the disease that stole her away was unspeakably cruel, and she is sorely missed.
I am done with the day-to-day caretaker role now. Done with the wheelchair, and before that the walker, and before that the cane, all of which were only machines or devices, but which I hated with an animus that was personal. Each was an intruder, a constant reminder of what was being lost, a bit at a time. I chafed under their presence. Done with the unending succession of cloudy, grey days, because, as I recall it, that is what the weather was. That is literally what I see when I remember looking outside during those many days – low, cold, grey clouds. Done and gone from a time in our lives, starting in our early 40’s and ending many years later, that should have been remembered for hard won successes, the yield of years of personal efforts of all sorts, the realization of potential, the light of the world’s promises fulfilled. It was, instead, while loving in its way, often a drab time. Disappointing. Too often exquisitely painful. And done with the unwanted thoughts that were as dark as those clouds. Forbidden thoughts, at odds with who I thought I was and who I wanted to be. In one of his last speeches, as he was departing public life, Winston Churchill, who made his place in history by magnificently managing, for himself and his country, and perhaps the world, the grim reality of his time, famously and elegantly enjoined that in the face of adversity, one should, “Never flinch, never weary, never despair.”
I think that I may have found the way for me. I can’t speak for others. For me, the path may be in the realization that Churchill used those particular words and issued that directive because he knew that people do flinch from adversity. It is a fact that, at points along the way, they wear out and sometimes stop, and sometimes lose their way. And from time to time they lose faith, in anything and everything. They are simply suffering in their own harsh world. I think that Churchill was telling the rest of us, just by saying those words, that some circumstances—some burdens that we are called upon to bear—are a lot. Maybe in some moments, too much. And he was saying that we should do our best, but that not being fully and always up to every moment that life presents—coming undone and falling short—is, in fact, a part of being human. The thing to do in those times—moments or longer—is to simply endure, to make your way through. To persevere. There is honor in simply doing that and not more if more is not possible, in service to another. In service to that love. Make your way through, and if you can rediscover goodness and sunshine later, see it. That is your obligation, too. You were in one place, and now you are in another. You didn’t really make any of it. Now, live.
I very often failed on each count of Churchill’s directive. Despair was, if not my constant companion, a frequent visitor, or just on the other side of the door. Weary? I sometimes did not have the energy—psychic or otherwise—to finish walking even a short distance from one place to another. I sometimes, oddly, just stopped for a
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Check should be drawn in favor of : INSIGHTS SUCCESS MEDIA TECH LLC
Five
Reasons Regular Health Why
Check-ups P
eople visit a clinic or a hospital only when they are sick or if they are suffering from an illness. Precautionary health care is becoming familiar as people are getting educated about their health and more empowered about their medical check-ups. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, people are becoming actively aware of their health. They comprehend the importance of healthy living and the importance of regular health checkups. People are proactively seeking medical assistance and are strictly following the guidelines by the physician as they can maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce the risk of diseases. They are also focused on reducing the risks of conditions and diseases by maintaining a healthy diet, weight, and a routine with physical activities. Doctors are also trying to help their patients by insisting on regular health check-ups to stay healthy. They are
are Important
specifically highlighting the importance of prevention to reduce the fatality of infections that require medical treatment or high-risk surgeries. The suggestion of physicians in regular health check-ups can potentially find the health issues and eventually control them before they become a problem. When people visit their doctors regularly, the correct health services, screenings, real-time test reports, and treatment can detect the health condition or disease in the early stage. Early detection can provide people with an opportunity to get the right treatment quickly and avoid complications over time. With the recent studies and research conducted on age-based health data, people in the 30-60 age group are at substantial risk of getting diseases because of their lifestyle and habits. Unhealthy and constantly changing habits, hereditary health diseases, and lack of sleep can cause severe health problems eventually. A regular health
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Healthy Wealthy
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check-up can detect the problems in their early stage and can avoid the severity. Here are five reasons why regular health check-ups are important. Ÿ Prevent health problems
For instance, if someone is suffering from certain conditions which require medical attention, a health checkup will help that person with proper precautions to recover from that problem. The doctor can prescribe the medicines and provide instructions that can help recover the trouble over time. The advantage of this scenario is the doctor can avoid severe infection by curing the condition in its initial stage, and the person can keep himself healthy and fit by following the instructions provided by the physician.
Ÿ Reduces the complications in the treatment
Once the patient is diagnosed with the condition in an early stage, the doctor can proceed with appropriate medication and minimal surgery if required. This reduces the complexity and risk involved if compared to diagnosing the condition at a later stage. A regular health check-up can help in the early recovery of the body from any health concern. Also, the patients to keep an eye on their health conditions and diseases by regularly visiting their doctors. Going for regular health check-ups can automatically make the patients aware of their health conditions, and they can maintain their healthy habits by following the prescribed medication. Also, it can lead them towards living a healthier lifestyle. Ÿ People can live a healthy life
Ÿ Lower health costs
Regular health check-ups can eventually reduce the additional costs of surgeries or screening tests by curing the health conditions in their initial stage and avoiding the risks of complicated surgeries required for chronic medical conditions. Additionally, looking at the current scenario, it is easy for people to get stressed out with the lockdown and workrelated issues. Visiting neuro experts regularly can help them to tackle stressful situations and maintain good mental health. A regular check-up can help the neuro expert to diagnose the condition and cure it with effective medicines.
When people go for regular health check-ups, it can assure them about their health status, and they can contemplate how healthy they are. They can understand their body vitals, and they can maintain their habits accordingly. Eventually, people can maintain a balanced diet with a routine of exercise and health-conscious habits. They can maintain a healthy life by following the instructions as prescribed by their physician. A peaceful life Regular health check-ups provide people with appropriate data that indicates their health status. When one is ensured of their good health status, they eventually harbor a content and peaceful mind.
Ÿ Eliminate the severity of health issues
The physician can detect and diagnose the risk factors of health conditions and reduce the risk of severe problems with appropriate medication. The doctors can select the correct approach towards the diagnosis to treat the disease at the initial stage. Moreover, doctors can recommend a few screening tests to detect the potential threat. These tests include a combination of mental and physical data of the patient, which is necessary for the appropriate medication to cure the condition. It can save the patient by eliminating the severity of health issues.
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- Abhishek Joshi.
Ecotown Diagnostics Strengthening the Diagnostics Space with a Tech-Centric Approach
Karun Kaniyar Co-Founder and Director
T
echnology today has a very crucial role to play in almost all the industries that one can name. It has elevated industry processes to the next level and has made them several folds faster.
diagnostics space by making use of cutting-edge technology that ensures the fastest turnaround time.
Tell us more about Ecotown Diagnostics’ services that make it stand out from the competition?
Below are the highlights from the interview:
One of the industries where technology has been working its prowess is the medical and diagnostics space. The medical and diagnostics space has had a revolution with the introduction of innovative technology.
Please brief our audience about Ecotown Diagnostics, its values, and the key aspects of its stronghold within the Clinical Laboratories services space.
We at Ecotown are on a ‘Mission to empower India using cutting edge technology to provide quality and affordable medical laboratory services.’
One such company that is making the best use of this new asset is Ecotown Diagnostics. The company is based out of Bangalore, India, and is spearheaded by its Co-founder and Director, Karun Kaniyar. In an interview with Insights Care, Mr. Kaniyar shares how his company is strengthening the medical and
Ecotown Diagnostics is a vision realized in the direction of providing quality diagnostic services to clients. At Ecotown we believe that ‘Quality in service is not what we put into it, rather it is what our customer gets out of it’. At Ecotown we strive to give our clients the best and most state-of-theart diagnostic care and consultation they deserve.
At Ecotown we provide to cover most of the services under one umbrella which in turn acts as a one-stop solution to our esteemed clients. Services such as Ultrasound scanning, all kinds of Doppler studies, X-Ray, Treadmill stress test, 2D-Echo, ECG, and Pulmonary function tests are all performed under one roof. Clients also have the freedom to choose from a wide array of health packages specifically 24 in number, depending on the age group they are.
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10 Most Trusted Clinical Laboratories in 2021
About The Leaders Mr. Karun Kaniyar (Co-founder and Director) - Postgraduate in MBA from the University of United Kingdom. A dynamic sales professional with around 15 years of an accomplished career track record of consistently winning high levels of business. Has experience of more than a decade in developing sales and operational strategies towards business development of the company. Was involved in many launches in the Middle East and played an active part in the development program of the team and product. He is well networked and an enthusiastic team player with great zeal and ambition. He has been an active Director on Board since the company’s inception and has been in the front line leading the sales and operations of the company. Ability to identify potential business opportunities and garner prestigious accounts is what pushed him to be at the forefront. High achiever in business development with hands-on experience of working from scratch venturing to launch their business vertical. Dr. Shivaraj Shetty MBBS MD Biochemistry (Founder and Lab Director) - Dr. Shivaraj Shetty has obtained his MBBS degree from Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, and MD in Biochemistry from St. John's Medical College, Bangalore. Dr. Shivaraj Shetty has started Ecotown Diagnostics in the year 2017 with fellow founders with the vision of providing quality laboratory services in Bangalore. Prior to this venture, he was a well-respected and most loved professor in the academic field. He taught Biochemistry at institutions like Azeezia Medical College, Kerala, and SIMSAR, Kolar. His visualization and commitment to delivering optimal quality laboratory services are remarkable. His resilient laboratory proficiency in resolving critical issues is incredible. He is responsible for comprehensive functional and operational aspects and also heightening approaches of the company since its inception. Dr. Shivaraj holds good experience in managing the technical, advisory, scientific operations of the laboratory and also comprehensively leading the technical team and other laboratory consultants with other roles like • • •
Good in providing effective leadership of the medical laboratory service, including budget planning and financial management, in accordance with organization policies. Good in providing the appropriate number of staff with the required education, training, and competence to provide medical laboratory services that meet the needs and requirements of the users. Good in implementing and monitoring standards of performance and quality improvement of the medical laboratory services.
Mr. Vijayraghu Halmidi (Co-founder and Director) - Mr. Vijayraghu comes with more than 16 years of India and international experience in the domain of sales and marketing. A result-oriented professional brings over demonstrated success in business development, key account management, and marketing strategies that have worked across diverse industries like construction and automobiles before the start of Ecotown. A glimpse of his professional journey demonstrates extraordinary capability in implementing marketing and business development strategies to enhance revenue growth and remain firmly afloat in a fiercely competitive market. He has been associated with the company since its inception as a promoter. He is responsible for the overall marketing and finance of the company and is instrumental in making strategic decisions for the company.
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We at Ecotown are on a mission to empower India using cutting edge technology and provide quality and affordable medical laboratory services.
We remain focused on the least turnaround time in delivering the reports to our clients with quality assurance on reports released postcertification of the concerned doctor for clinical correlation of the prescribing doctor.
through but we at Ecotown always stood for the people’s service and did really well in terms of business too during the pandemic. In your opinion, what could be the future of the clinical laboratories services sector post the pandemic?
What is your opinion on the impact of the current pandemic on the global healthcare sector, and how has Ecotown Diagnostics fared during the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns? The pandemic has struck globally and has affected health care too. Attached to the pandemic was a frame of fear in people’s minds, which currently is getting faded away due to overall initiative and drives taken by the Government and the health care industry.
As an established leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts aspiring to venture into the healthcare space?
We at Ecotown always believed that being in the healthcare or service industry our availability to the community at the time it needs was extremely important and ensured that we are there for the society in whatever ways we could be. The business had its own ups and downs in this phase of the pandemic, which I am sure everyone has gone
The health care industry is growing at a fast pace wherein it is expected to reach $32 Billion by the year 2025 from $12 Billion by 2020. The Compound annual growth rate should reach 27.5% (CAGR).
Venture into healthcare so that it benefits mankind and facilitates people for a better living, which forms a health competitive zone to all in this sector. How do you envision scaling Ecotown Diagnostics’ operations in 2021 and further? Our roadmap to 2021-2022 is envisioned to penetrate deep into the market and expand by building standalone centres, providing diagnostic solutions to hospitals and doctors, and providing service through healthcare apps to serve our esteemed clients with quality in different parts of the city and state.
In India healthcare sector still remains an unorganized industry, which definitely is a subject to discuss. Having said that, to all the budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts who would like to venture into this space the only piece of advice to them would be - Enter not just for the sake of competition but instead venture into this space to make the health care sector a better industry or an organized one.
38 | September 2021 | www.insightcare.com