September 9, 2026
Ask The Experts: Bulletproofing Your Practice Against Medicolegal Challenges – CAP
Transcript
Nick Lanyi
The CAP weighs in on potential cuts to outpatient reimbursement by CMS. What pathologists should know about at-home testing for STIs, and how a pathologist who's never been an academic became a great educator of fellow pathologists. These stories and more are coming up next. This is Path News Network Daily Edition from the College of American Pathologists. I'm Nick Lanyi. It's Wednesday, September 9th. The CAP last week asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to make changes to a proposed rule for reimbursements of hospital outpatient services. The CAP asked that CMS keep software as a medical service as a separate category in the fee schedule. Removing it could arbitrarily reduce payments for data analysis. Another recommendation: exempt pathology services that cannot be detailed in advance from proposed pricing transparency requirements. Forcing pathologists to provide a standard price in advance for services that are impossible to predict could create confusion, impose unnecessary administrative burdens on providers, and inadvertently hinder timely access to medically necessary care. At-home testing for sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, is now yielding rapid results for patients without long waits at a clinic. These point-of-care testing technologies can detect common STIs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, in about 20 minutes. So, how can pathologists guide patients in interpreting results and getting the right care? A new CAP article explores the state of point-of-care testing for STIs, the populations that can benefit most from it, and the challenges, including cost and complexity. The article emphasizes that while STI testing is moving quickly into patients' hands, frameworks for overseeing, reporting, and linking tests to public health surveillance have not yet caught up. Dr. Dorothy Adcock has spent more than three decades teaching pathologists and leading the practice, but she's never worked in academics. Even so, she's the CAP's outstanding educator of 2026. The former medical director of Lab Corp spent her career in the corporate sector, but she realized early on that her passion was learning and educating others.
Dr. Dorothy Adcock
I always wanted to have the highest quality, most accurate laboratory possible. And I was always very involved with my medical technologists and very involved with the staff. And realizing that in order to provide high-quality, up-to-date laboratory testing, you had to continuously educate yourself as well as your staff. It just has to be.
Nick Lanyi
Dr. Adcock's contributions to the CAP run the gamut, from inspections to proficiency testing, practice guidelines, and publications. Retirement hasn't slowed her down. This fall, a book she co-authored on clinical chemistry analytes hits the CAP's shelves. Despite a lifetime of teaching and scholarship, Dr. Adcock says finding a niche is important in a fast-changing field.
Dr. Dorothy Adcock
It's important to find an area that you can call your area of expertise. And also just take it one step at a time. You know, you can't boil the ocean. You know, if there is a an area in medicine that is complex or bothering you, spend some time, take it little by little, and try to learn the basics. Get a good foundation, because that'll carry you through so many topics.
Nick Lanyi
Dr. Adcock will receive her award with more than two dozen honorees at CAP 26 in Las Vegas next month. And finally, what if a cyber attack forced your lab to convert to paper reporting? Would you have strategies in place to protect patients and your practice? It's just one example of the medico-legal challenges pathologists can face. On September 15th, legal experts will walk through other problems, including data privacy questions and self-referral scenarios. You'll learn the legal concepts and strategies you need to ensure your practice is protected. That's all for today. Check the show notes for more information on today's stories, including how to register for the medicolegal webinar. Got a story you'd like us to cover in the Daily Edition? Write to us at stories @ CAP.org. We're back Thursday at 5 a.m. Eastern for another episode of the Daily Edition. I'm Nick Lanyi. Have a wonderful day.