Outsourcing Pathology Services: What You Should Know

In today’s healthcare industry, outsourcing select services has become a popular choice for many hospitals, physicians, and health systems. Specifically, outsourcing pathology services allows healthcare facilities and professionals to partner with an outside organization to manage the process of analyzing diagnostic information.

Benefits of Outsourcing Pathology Services

Outsourcing pathology services can provide several advantages for hospitals, health systems, and practices, including:

Cost savings: When you outsource your pathology services, you only pay for the services you need. You will save on the cost of overhead like the laboratory space, expensive lab equipment, and supplies, as well as salaries and benefits for multiple pathologists and support staff.
Improved efficiency: Many pathology laboratories have multiple pathologists, which can improve efficiency by reducing turnaround times for test results.
Access to specialized expertise: Pathology laboratories often have several pathologists for various sub-specialties, like dermatopathologists, pediatric pathologists, or hematopathologists. In-house pathology labs may not have the resources available to employ a variety of specialists like a dedicated pathology lab can.
Improved quality: Third-party pathology laboratories often have rigorous quality control measures to ensure reliable and accurate test results.
Built-in quality assurance: A pathology laboratory must provide the highest quality services to partner with their physicians. They will have quality control protocols and may employ someone dedicated to quality assurance.
Increased flexibility: Outsourcing pathology services can provide healthcare partners with increased flexibility. Since third-party pathology providers can offer services on an as-needed basis, physicians can adjust their pathology services to meet changing demands. This increased flexibility ultimately leads to additional cost savings.
Improved technology: Dedicated pathology laboratories often have access to the latest diagnostic technology and equipment. By outsourcing pathology services, providers can take advantage of these technologies without incurring the high costs associated with acquiring and maintaining them in-house.
Scalability: Outsourcing these services can provide scalable solutions to hospitals, health systems, and even smaller practices. As the volume of pathology tests increases, the third-party laboratory can adjust its resources and capacity to accommodate the demand.
Reduced staffing issues: Hiring and retaining skilled pathologists and support staff can be challenging. Outsourcing pathology services eliminates this challenge, and healthcare facilities will need fewer resources for recruitment and training costs associated with hiring in-house staff.
Improved quality of care: By outsourcing services, physicians can leverage highly trained and experienced pathologists with a variety of areas of expertise. This can improve test results’ accuracy and reliability, ultimately leading to better patient care and outcomes.

Begin Outsourcing Pathology Services Now

Outsourcing pathology services can offer numerous benefits, including cost savings, improved efficiency, and access to specialized expertise. At Pathology Reference Lab, we have more than 20 board-certified pathologists with extensive experience in a variety of sub-specialties. We provide fast, accurate results so you can focus on what matters most — caring for your patients.