Panel of National Pathology Leaders

09/19/2025

PNPL is proud to announce our new strategic partnership with American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) - a national pathology organization with 100,000+ members. This is a huge milestone in our history, and we can't wait to get started!

The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) and the Panel of National Pathology Leaders (PNPL) have established a new strategic partnership that underscores both organizations’ shared commitment to advancing the future of pathology and laboratory medicine by empowering leaders, fostering in...

10/14/2024

Exciting insights from our latest Micro Highlight: Setting Up a Department Fund for Dividend Reinvestment.

At a recent meeting of the Panel of National Pathology Leaders’ Practice Leadership Council, Robert Tessier, co-founder and panelist of PNPL, who delivered a comprehensive presentation on how to effectively set up and manage a Department Fund. His insights highlighted the critical role of reinvestment in driving innovation, particularly in digital pathology and AI.

The presentation includes:

🔍 A clear roadmap for establishing and managing a Department Fund
💡 The importance of strategic financial contributions—both monetary and expertise-based
📈 Making a solid business case for digital pathology initiatives

This forward-thinking approach will undoubtedly support the ongoing evolution of pathology departments in a challenging reimbursement environment.

To learn more: https://pathleaders.org/news/

09/05/2024

Wonderful and informative interview from The Pathologist about sustainable "green" laboratories with Dr. Moira Larsen, PNPL Board Member and Chair of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Focus Group. If you would like a copy of the full presentation she made to our CSR group, leave a comment below and we will send it to you.

https://thepathologist.com/inside-the-lab/sustainability-start-small-think-big

07/23/2024

In today's laboratories, doing more with less is a common challenge! Check out our latest Micro Highlight on Shelley Zaremba’s presentation to the PNPL Pathologists’ Assistant Networking Team on how process improvements can significantly enhance efficiency, boost productivity, and reduce errors in the surgical pathology gross room.

Shelley described how standardizing processes and using automation tools like dictation systems and LIS software, labs can improve efficiency, reduce cross-contamination, and enhance specimen quality. These strategies help laboratories maintain the highest standards in surgical pathology.
Read more: https://tinyurl.com/bdz3kcu4

05/31/2024

Our latest presentation to PNPL’s Corporate Social Responsibility Focus Group , “Greening the Laboratory: A Framework for Sustainability,” was recently featured in The Pathologist’s “Also in the News” section. They noted that an “Environmental Management System (EMS) was launched by Panel of National Pathology Leaders to encourage greener laboratory practices and reduced energy consumption,” and then provided a link to the presentation.
In the presentation, Dr. Moira Larsen, Physician Executive Director at MedStar Medical Group Pathology and Chair of PNPL’s CSR group, highlighted innovative strategies for reducing environmental impact within laboratory settings.
Thank you to The Pathologist for featuring our work. If you're interested in making your lab operations more sustainable, check out the full presentation: https://tinyurl.com/3cnr8p2x

05/20/2024

Panel of National Pathology Leaders (PNPL) Board members, Robert Tessier and Al Sirmon, recently presented at the 2024 Executive War College meeting in New Orleans. Their talk, "What’s New in Pathologist Productivity and Compensation Plus Boosting Profitability through Effective Negotiations with Hospitals and Payers," offered valuable perspectives on enhancing pathology practices' operational and financial aspects.

Additionally, Dr. Michael Laposata, Chair of PNPL’s Diagnostic Medicine Focus Group, shared groundbreaking developments in integrated diagnostics and introduced the new John Sealy Diagnostic Center at UTMB-Galveston.

We extend our thanks to all the attendees, speakers, and organizers of the event. If you missed it, stay tuned for upcoming insights and takeaways from the sessions!

04/22/2024

Did you know that laboratories consume more than 40% of energy on most university campuses, despite occupying only 20% of space? And that chemical fume hoods alone can consume as much energy as 3.5 homes? These are startling statistics that highlight the pressing need for change. In a recent presentation to PNPL’s Corporate Social Responsibility Focus Group, titled Greening the Laboratory: A Framework for Sustainability, Dr. Moira Larsen, Physician Executive Director at MedStar Medical Group Pathology, highlighted the crucial role laboratories play in fostering a healthier planet. By promoting appropriate test utilization, managing waste, reducing fuel consumption, and embracing sustainable procurement, labs can lead the way in our collective fight against climate change. To read more, check out our latest Micro Highlight on this topic: https://tinyurl.com/52aacdfs

04/11/2024

PNPL’s latest Micro Highlight titled, A Tale of Two Cities: How to Boost Pathologist Income, offers a strategic blueprint for securing hospital support by including performance-based Part A incentives and demonstrating the value added by pathologists to their hospital. From custom time studies to educating stakeholders, key components ensure alignment with hospital priorities and foster a culture of efficiency and innovation. Learn how to negotiate effectively, maximize reimbursements, and reinvest income for strategic expansion and innovation. To read more: https://tinyurl.com/3m6z6ajp

03/18/2024

Check out our most recent Micro Highlight titled, Using PNPL’s 2024 Report on Medicare Reimbursement Rates to Navigate in a Competitive Job Market, where PNPL illuminates critical insights for practices seeking to recruit and retain pathologists amidst competition. The report reveals a significant disparity in Medicare reimbursements for top Anatomic Pathology CPT codes across various regions in the U.S. In this dynamic landscape, understanding and leveraging these insights are essential for navigating recruitment and retention challenges effectively. Read more here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/f9e8fuwxjjh1wivnnsog3/Micro-Highlight-17-PNPL-Report-on-2024-Medicare-Reimbursement-Rates.pdf?rlkey=5opoph81wxaqji8odo4d2jev8&dl=0

01/15/2024

In our recently released Micro Highlight, 2021 National Medicare Extract for Pathologists, we discuss new insights for 2023 on significant differences in Medicare reimbursements throughout the country, as seen in the two most widely used CPT codes: 88305 and 88307.

In 2021, Medicare disbursed approximately $1.5 billion for pathology services featuring a professional component. While the facility place of service contributes significantly to 45% of total wRVUs, it only accounts for 31% of total reimbursements. This discrepancy can be attributed to the prevalence of professional component-only services, with higher global payments predominantly falling within the Non-Facility category.

To find out more:

Shared with Dropbox

01/05/2024

Meet PNPL’s newest Diagnostic Medicine Focus Group expert, David Newman-Toker, MD, PhD! Dr. Newman-Toker is an internationally recognized leader in neuro-otology, acute stroke diagnosis, and diagnostic errors research. He serves as Director of the Armstrong Institute Center for Diagnostic Excellence at Johns Hopkins University, whose mission is to improve diagnostic performance, develop diagnostic safety methods, and enhance diagnostic research. He has been the principal investigator for multiple NIH, AHRQ, and foundation grants, has published over 150 journal articles, and has given more than 300 invited lectures on dizziness and diagnostic errors. Most recently, Dr. Newman-Toker was invited to provide testimony on Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare to the House Energy & Commerce Committee (Health Subcommittee before Congress). Read more about Dr. David Newman-Toker here: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/profiles/details/david-newman-toker

11/16/2023

Meet PNPL’s new Corporate Social Responsibility Focus Group Co-Chair, Moira Larsen, MD, MBA! Dr. Larsen is the Physician Executive Director for MedStar Medical Group in Pathology. After a 30+ year career as a hospital-based pathologist and Medical Director, she has assumed an administrative role overseeing 9 acute care hospital practices, working to build those groups into a single practice with multiple locations that allows leveraging of subspecialty expertise amongst pathologists. Read more about Dr. Moira Larsen here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moira-larsen-3b890a38/