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Context.--Northwell Health Laboratories were established in 1997, serving the Northwell Health system. In 2008, the health system considered minority entry into a joint venture with a commercial laboratory. Based on arguments made by Northwell laboratory leadership, the decision was made to retain full ownership of the laboratory. Objective.--To evaluate the 10-year outcomes of the 2008 decision and assess the value of a fully integrated laboratory service line for a regional health network. Design.--Ten-year outcomes were analyzed including financial, volume, and value-based activities. Results.--First, a fully integrated laboratory service line was created, with unified medical and managerial leadership. Second, Core Laboratory volumes and revenues grew at annualized rates of 4.5% and 16.0%, respectively. Third, hospital-based laboratory costs were held either constant, or grew in accordance with strategic clinical programs. Fourth, laboratory services were able to provide leadership in innovative system clinical programming and value-based payment programs. Fifth, the laboratories became a regional asset, forming a joint venture affiliation with New York City Health + Hospitals, and supporting distressed hospitals in Brooklyn, New York. Lastly, Northwell Health Laboratories have become a reputational asset through leadership in 2 consortia: The Compass Group and Project Santa Fe. Conclusions.--The 10-year outcomes have exceeded projections made in 2008, validating the decision to retain the laboratories as a wholly owned system asset. The laboratories are now well positioned for leading innovation in patient care and for helping to drive a favorable posture for the health system under new payment models for health care. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2018-0569-SA, The Northwell Health Laboratories (Lake Success, New York) were established as an in-system Core Laboratory in 1997, for achievement of higher performance and cost efficiencies of the then 8-hospital Northwell [...]

Local sentinel laboratories are a critical component of the Laboratory Response Network, providing frontline diagnostics and, in many instances, the initial reporting for infectious disease outbreaks. In the event of [...]