This is a companion article to the feature, “Getting Ahead of PAMA.”

According to a survey conducted by Quest Laboratories, nearly 80% of hospital executives are unfamiliar with details of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA).1 Now is the time to make sure that such executives are fully educated about PAMA, so that they can mobilize a plan for dealing with the effects of the act. Following are steps that hospital executives can take to get up to speed.

Learn the Law. Resources are available from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the American Clinical Laboratory Association, among other national and local organizations.

Start a Conversation. Initiate high-level discussions with lab administrators within the organization to gauge leaders’ awareness about the effects of implementing PAMA regulations.

Run the Numbers. Work with the organization’s business team to gauge the financial effects of PAMA on inpatient, outpatient, and outreach lab operations. Communicate such business-related findings to stakeholders who interact with laboratories and their staff across the organization.

Develop a Plan. Bring together a team to craft a strategy that will mitigate the impact of implementing PAMA regulations on the health system’s revenue and costs. Consider collaborating with an outside partner that can help with lab management.

Reference

  1. PAMA is Here, and Most Hospital Leaders Are Unaware of Its Impact [white paper, online]. Detroit: Modern Healthcare Custom Media, 2018. Available at: www.modernhealthcare.com/assets/pdf/ch1180771128.pdf. Accessed February 24, 2019.