I received an email this weekend from another frustrated patient. What a shame that they are violating Federal disclosure laws and laughing about it.

Well, here is my lab corp story:

I am now about 7 months pregnant, but began going to Lab Corp in the beginning for routine blood tests. They were always unfriendly, but I just let it go. The first thing that really bothered me about them was when my husband had to get blood drawn to make sure he was rh negative so that I wouldn’t need a shot to protect me if my baby had a chance of having positive blood. Well when it came time for my doctor to give me the shot (at 28 weeks into my pregnancy) they still had not received the results from his blood work, which was done 3 months earlier. To top that off I had paid for his testing (around $250) because he does not have health insurance. So I ended up getting the shot anyways (in the butt, and obviously uncomfortable enough that I was willing to pay $250 to avoid it). I still think someone should be liable for the money I wasted on a test that couldn’t get the results back in time. 3 months seems sufficient time to me. I am willing to overlook the fact that I had to get an unnecessary shot because lab corp cant figure it out. After all this, I still had to go to lab corp about a week ago for a gestational diabetes test. I had to fast the night before. The morning I went to go get the test, I had an argument with my husband and being as I was 7 months pregnant, I was pretty upset about it. So I went into lab corp and signed in. I had changed my name to my husband’s last name between this visit and my last. Mind you I have been married for 2 years, but I had put off changing my name and with the baby on the way, I figured it was a good time. So when they didn’t have a record of my new name (which was now on my health insurance card), instead of asking they just had me fill out a new patient sheet. Then when I turned that in (I figured if they didn’t ask I might as well just fill it out) I went and sat back down in the crowded waiting room and prepared to be there for an hour while the drink they gave me hit my blood. When I sat down I overheard them talking about how they finally figured out I had been there before, but my name was different. A male staff member said “Oh, she has been here. Her name is different. She must have gotten married.” and then the female staff member said “oh, well she is pregnant so you know how that goes.” and then they started laughing. At my expense. I wanted to go up there and inform them that I had been married for 2 years, was 25 years old, graduated college, and that my personal life was none of their business, but I was so emotional from the whole day I knew I would just start crying. So I sat there. For a whole hour. And they continued to have personal conversations right there where everyone could hear. I just cant believe that people can be that rude. I don’t know if they think being behind the check in window shields them from the patients, but I was about 10 chairs away and could clearly hear them talking about me. Even if I had gotten married because I got pregnant, it is not their business to be talking about at a place of business. I would love to do something about this, as it is still bothering me. Do you have an address where I can send a letter?

Here’s the address to send in your complaint. Don Hardison is the company’s Chief Operating Officer and he seems to be the only one that cares about straightening out the company. Not that he will do anything, but at least he will make you feel like he will. 

Laboratory Corporation of America
Don Hardison, COO
430 South Spring Street
Burlington, NC 27215

This is a recent article about LabCorp and their practices. The United States Food and Drug Administration believes that LabCorp’s testing “…may harm the public health.” Shame on you LabCorp for putting money before patient’s health.

The US Food and Drug Administration is looking more closely at an ovarian cancer test from Laboratory Corporation of America after deciding that the existing data did not support the test’s commercial use.

 

The FDA Office of In Vitro Device Evaluation and Safety has asked Labcorp to discuss with the agency the utility of its OvaSure Yale test, after it learned that the performance characteristics of the test were based on research that is not representative of the intended pool of patients.

 

In a letter to Labcorp dated August 7, OIVD Director Steve Gutman wrote that the scientific community would not view the study as sufficient to establish performance characteristics for high-risk women who may have ovarian cancer.

 

“Based on our review of your promotional materials and the research,” Gutman wrote, “… we believe you are offering a high risk test that has not received adequate clinical validation, and may harm the public health.” Gutman told Labcorp that OIVD would like to talk to the company about offering the test, and any other strategies the company may have for validating the test.

Here’s an email that I received from a former employee of LabCorp. She worked for a company that was acquired by LabCorp. Her name and department was removed to protect the innocent.

Labcorp sucks as an employer as well….They acquired another lab called Dianon Systems in Stratford, Ct and as of that point treated their employees like crap. When employee after employee left to find another job their position was never filled, therefore making the employees work for dirt cheap and like dogs!! Yet they brag about job opportunities. I am ever so grateful that my position in the XXXXXX department was eliminated..It is giving me an opportunity to find employment from a company that cares for their employees..

Their lab stinks and so does the CEO who says their is an open door policy with him. I never got any replies from him when asked when the employees will lose their job due to the acquisition..We had no chance to save for the medical insurance that was discontinued 2 weeks later…..

Here’s something really interesting. A few weeks ago LabCorp employees started posting comments on this site in support and defense of the company and employees. Shortly thereafter, www.labcorpsucks.com almost dissappeared from the Google search results. There does not appear to be a reasonable explanation for this to happen, as this site has lots of visits from dissatisfied LabCorp patients and is still highly ranked in Yahoo and MSN. I just saw an article in the Medical Quack Blog that may provide some answers (or at least raise some suspicion). It is about the business relationship between Google and LabCorp. I would not put it past LabCorp executives to ask Google to punish this website, but it is hard for me to believe that Google would actually play along with LabCorp and lower the search value of a website based on their own economic interests.

Last month several Genomics companies received warning letters from the State of California and were told they needed to be licensed.  23andMe, which is an offshoot of Google may have a potential solution on the dilemma of the licensing issue with working with LabCorp,  one of the largest labs in the US. 

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) - Although 23andMe is keeping mum on which contract laboratory it is using to conduct its DTC genomic testing services, GenomeWeb Daily News has learned that Laboratory Corporation of America is providing the necessary genotyping services for the personal genomics company. “I can confirm that we are doing lab work for 23andMe,” Eric Lindblom, LabCorp’s senior vice president for investor and media relations, told GWDN.

…You can also read more about the National Genetics Institute, a subsidiary of LabCorp. LabCorp already has a pretty large stake invested in the genomics business.

Lindblom also noted that LabCorp is CLIA licensed in California and New York, the two states that recently warned 23andMe, along with several other personal genomics firms, to stop marketing genetic tests directly to consumers. One of the reasons cited by regulators was that the consumer genomics firms were not licensed in these states to provide laboratory services.

I had a talk with one of the managers at a service center about the jobs that people perform at the company. Here are some interesting things that she had to say.

1) Job turnover in the Miami region is very high. The revolving door is a result of the way that they operate the company. Labcorp jobs are always availabe because so many leave the company.

2) Managers are not too familiar with who their boss is. They know the name but have never really met them or interacted with them.

3) About Bob Blanco - “Oh, he’s the guy who signs my checks. He’s the big boss. I never met him but he gives the orders to pay me.”

Q: have you ever met him?      A: No but I know him by name.

How can a service center manager not have met the district manager? I guess when you are a district manager that sits around the office, you never really know what is going on outside your little cave. Maybe they need lessons on how to be a successful executive. That “isolation from reality” seems to be a common problem in most districts.

That’s something that I admire about Bank of America. Part of the job requirement to be a banking center manager is that you have to walk around the floor during busy hours and interact with the customers and employees. Now that’s customer service. If you have a question or problem, ask the boss. Forget that executive attitude. The manager is just another person trying to provide a favorable banking experience.

I’ve received dozens of emails related to problems and complaints against LabCorp. From those who have filed lawsuits against them to physicians that are fed up with service related issues. I will respond to them all this week. Since this is something that I do on the side because of the poor attitude of LabCorp company manager and executives, I can only do it during down time. Sorry about that.

The retail business has many dynamics. It’s a business that I know well. Relating these principles to LabCorp’s operation, it is hard to believe that there are so many patients that will never set foot in a LabCorp center again. Yet the company and its executives do not seem to be doing anything about it. It’s a real shame how a company can believe that they are so omnipotent that they can do whatever they want. Our country’s laws and regulations are established for these particular instances. They will eventually catch up to LabCorp. The government agencies will move in and that’s when you will see them change.

I also believe that the tough economy will severely affect LabCorp and their view of the customer. In my opinion, they see the customer as the HMO, insurance company or 3rd party payer. The patient is seen as a secondary factor when in fact it is all about the patient. Poor results or worst yet, no results, will not only anger the patients but also the payer as the patient will start complaining. Why do these managers and executives not see this? Oh well, they will when the 3rd party payers start cancelling contracts because of malpractice lawsuits. And the doctors that send them the specimens for results? They will eventually get tired of poor results that affect the lives of their patients. I believe that doctors generally care more about their patients than the lower prices offered by LabCorp. That will also work against LabCorp. When will this company wake up to reality?