Improving American Healthcare Through "Clinical Lab 2.0": A Project Santa Fe Report

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Laboratory Medicine
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• The healthcare industry is transitioning from volume-based to value-based care models.
• Clinical laboratory services play a crucial role in patient diagnosis and treatment optimization.
• There is a need to establish the evidence base for the valuation of these services in evolving healthcare systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide thought leadership on the valuation of clinical laboratory services.
• To develop the evidence base for laboratory contributions to value-based healthcare.
• To offer recommendations from Project Santa Fe's inaugural meeting.

Main Methods:

• Convened participants from major regional health systems.
• Focused on operationalizing laboratory-driven innovations.
• Tested valuation in diverse regional marketplaces within the United States.

Main Results:

• Clinical laboratories are positioned to lead in reducing total cost of care.
• Laboratories can optimize diagnosis, therapeutics, care coordination, and wellness programs.
• The initiative aims to demonstrate the impact of diagnostics on overall healthcare spending.

Conclusions:

• Clinical laboratories must provide programmatic leadership in value-based care.
• This leadership involves identifying at-risk patients, closing care gaps, and optimizing innovation outcomes.
• The goal is to empower laboratories to thrive under new payment models, creating "Clinical Lab 2.0".