Starting a Successful Toxicology Lab
Improving Drug Testing Profitability
With headlines like “Successful Toxicology Lab” and “Improving Profitability,” you may think this article is a lead in for some dubious business venture or a less than ethical drug testing scheme.
On the contrary, at Drug Testing Program Management, we believe in the highest ethical standards and in running a tight fiscal ship. Our goal is to enable labs, treatment centers, drug courts, and physicians to provide a high-quality service at an affordable price. It’s an objective that nevertheless allows for successful business growth.
While the drug testing industry is no doubt under siege from a variety of unscrupulous schemers, we firmly believe they can be out-competed by ethical providers who adopt sound business strategies. Success that serves the community and aids society in dealing with our ongoing drug nightmare is well earned.
Who is DTPM?
Established in 1993, Drug Testing Program Management is one of the nation’s largest providers of comprehensive laboratory solutions. We serve over 450 labs in 45 states and we pride ourselves on being “national in scope, but local in service.”
After 25 years, we’re still growing. In part that’s because we reinvent ourselves every day. We constantly look for the best way forward and never assume that good is good enough.
That drive and commitment to excellence has led to our current laboratory setup and management system. It’s a tested and field proven set of protocols and techniques that allow laboratories to operate efficiently and profitably while maintaining the highest standards in the industry.
What’s the Secret to a Successful Toxicology Lab?
Not to make it sound mysterious, but there is no secret; there is a system. And it’s a system that DTPM has become famous for. We’ve put that methodology together as a turnkey, comprehensive service you can take advantage of.
Cost Per Reportable and Cost Per Test
One of the most recognizable elements of DTPM’s system is our use of cost per reportable and cost per test contracts.
Assume you are a starting drug testing laboratory. You can research and buy equipment, find sources for your reagents, lab supplies, and consumables. You’ll need to interview and hire a lab director, arrange for staffing, and get your new lab certified. There will be lab software to acquire, training, and ongoing equipment calibration.
There are many hurdles to entering the drug testing market today. Almost inevitably you will make mistakes, encounter delays, and find that you have made less than optimal choices. In hindsight, you could have done much better.
In a way, that’s what DTPM sells – hindsight, experience, and expertise. We offer the knowledge and hand-holding you need to be successful right out of the gate.
Our contracts are customized to your situation, your existing expertise, your locale, and your goals. A reference lab will have different needs than a drug testing court, and the requirements of a physician’s office will be unlike those of a treatment or rehab center.
At DTPM, we thoroughly evaluate the individual needs of your lab, and then we develop a unique one-cost contract for you. You’ll know exactly what each reportable or each test run through your lab costs you. That predictability of expenses alone helps management to run a stable and successful operation.
What Does Each Contract Include?
One size does not fit all. Part of our expertise; part of the magic of DTPM is working with you to tailor a contract truly supportive of your goals. In this section, we’ll reveal some of the things your contract could include and how they work together to assure your success.
Digital Analyzers
At DTPM, we research the best, state-of-the-art analyzers and include the machine you need as a part of a cost-per-test or cost-per-reportable contract. From Indiko Plus clinical and specialty chemistry systems to high-end LCMS confirmation analyzers, we assure that you have the best equipment on site.
As each contract period cycles to its end, we even provide for equipment upgrades to make certain your lab is always on the cutting edge of efficiency, reliability, and quality.
Laboratory Setup, Software, and Certification
With comprehensive, turnkey expertise, DTPM steps in to help you design your lab’s physical layout, workflow, and storage.
Our personnel are onsite to setup your analyzer, train your personnel in its use, and integrate the Laboratory Information Software (LIS) you need manage daily screening operations.
We assist with CLIA and COLA certifications, as well as any local certifications needed to get your lab up and running.
Chemicals, Reagents, and Lab Supplies
DTPM is your one-stop-shop for everything needed to run your lab. From accessories to consumables, we’ve found the best products at affordable prices.
You not only benefit from our endless research and vetting of resources, we work with you to coordinate an effective schedule of ordering and delivery that saves on reorder time and shipping expenses.
Personnel, Training, and Customer Service
If all this sounds like a lot of hand-holding, it is! At DTPM, we have no intention of letting you fail. It’s your laboratory, but we make it a success.
That extends to helping you find the right personnel, acquiring an experienced lab director or using our lab director services. We train in the proper use of equipment and software, demonstrate effective workflow, and backup everything we do with responsive customer service and 24-hour assistance.
One Contract, One Source, One Path to Success
Why should anyone enter a cost-per-test or cost-per-reportable contract? Because it can be all-inclusive or tailored to exactly what you need. And when you work with DTPM, we bring decades of experience and a vast array of services and supplies, all of which have already been optimized for maximum affordability and effectiveness.
We’ve written the case study in how to do things right, and we’ve developed our time proven systems into a comprehensive service you can buy into at exactly the level you need.
Interested in learning more? Call us at 256-845-1261, or visit our website at www.DTPM.com.
