[Pictured above: Joe, Mrs. B's son.]
Moving to a different state presents a long list of challenges, like finding a new doctor. When a patient’s care is transferred, providers can also face delays gaining access to the medical records necessary to provide the best possible care.
So when “Mrs. B” moved to be closer to her son, who is also her caretaker, she went to meet her new primary care physician, Dr. Doron Schneider. She was understandably nervous; she was advancing in age, had recently lost her husband and found herself constantly out of breath while walking.
During his evaluation, Dr. Schneider noticed that Mrs. B’s hemoglobin levels were low, but since she was a new patient, he couldn’t be certain if that was normal or a concerning anomaly.
Lab results influence an estimated 70% of medical decisions, so it’s crucial to get fast, efficient insights that could help save a life. As an internist, national faculty member of the American College of Physicians and vice president of population health at Tandigm Health, Dr. Schneider has devoted his career to providing the best possible care to patients by leveraging technology and data.
As a routine part of his process, Dr. Schneider uses the Labcorp LinkTM digital solution to quickly and efficiently view historical Labcorp results for patients, even if another provider ordered the test. Powered by over 45 billion lab results, Labcorp Link gives doctors access to meaningful data to help determine diagnoses and the best path of care for patients—helping reduce redundant testing and unnecessary costs.
After reviewing her medical history, Dr. Schneider used Labcorp Link's cross-account search function, which allows physicians to see patients’ past diagnostic testing reports, to learn more about Mrs. B’s health, including any history of acute problems or chronic health issues. After reviewing Mrs. B’s previous results, he discovered her most recent hemoglobin levels were in fact an anomaly—and cause for immediate concern and action on his part.
“I was able to log in to Labcorp data solutions and look at that value from a couple of months before and see that not only was her hemoglobin several points higher, but her MCV, (mean corpuscular volume) the size of her cells, was larger,” says Dr. Schneider. “That change in both of those values really sent off alarm bells to me that I knew I needed to act on quickly.”
This discovery led Dr. Schneider to immediately suggest follow-up testing, which uncovered a tumor in Mrs. B’s gastrointestinal tract and resulted in an early esophageal cancer diagnosis. Mrs. B’s son said they would’ve easily missed the tumor if not for Dr. Schneider’s review of her testing history.
Timing can mean everything when it comes to cancer care. When esophageal cancer is found early, the five-year survival rate is higher.
“The data was everything,” Mrs. B’s son, Joe, says. “[Dr. Schneider] was able to get the data and diagnose this critical issue. That’s the difference that led to her being around today—acting on this data.”
“With that information, which was the juxtaposition of what I had access to and what Labcorp was able to offer, we were able to see that we needed to move quickly,” Dr. Schneider says.
Thanks in part to Labcorp’s data and visualization tools, Dr. Schneider was able to move swiftly to deliver the care and provide the referrals Mrs. B needed.
Labcorp data and analytics capabilities are now an even more important part of Dr. Schneider’s workflow. Adding new habits to old routines can be challenging for providers, but Dr. Schneider is adamant that when new data and technology becomes available and can help him do his job better and faster, it’s worth checking out.
He appreciates he can access all kinds of patient data—including electronic medical record, lab, admission, discharge, transfer and claims data—through Labcorp’s data and technology capabilities. This enables a more holistic view of the patient. Bringing efficiencies into the busy day of a primary care physician, he adds, can make a huge difference for both his practice and his patients.
Labcorp's data solutions save providers a lot of time by consolidating the patient's laboratory information, reducing chart chasing and data mining and facilitating coordination of care. The provider has access to the patient's chart in the electronic health record and all their Labcorp history integrated into one view at the point of care.
Dr. Jennifer Ennis Medical Director, Clinical and Digital Solutions, Labcorp
Dr. Schneider looks to collaborate with organizations that deliver and curate lab data and technology directly to the examination rooms to empower hospitals, health systems, providers and patients.
When you look at Labcorp's data solutions, look at it as part of your team, as part of your toolbox. Patients appreciate that their doctor is connected to information and able to understand them quickly and have an efficient interaction with the medical system.
Dr. Doron Schneider Internist, Vice President of Population Health, Tandigm Health
At Labcorp, we collaborate with organizations and physicians like Dr. Schneider to provide efficient, comprehensive clinical insights to empower more informed care decisions that improve health and improve lives.
