Cost-effective molecular diagnostic testing for medical laboratories can result in better financial and clinical outcomes for patients
ITHACA, N.Y. – While advancements in genetic testing have enabled rapid, more sensitive and specific methods to aid in the diagnoses and appropriate treatment of diseases including cancer, hemophilia, sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis, such advancements can come at a cost to both health care providers and patients. Molecular diagnostics executive Richard Montagna, Ph.D., vice president for scientific affairs for Rheonix Inc., an Ithaca-based developer of an automated molecular testing platform, will present ideas at a national conference about how medical laboratories can select, develop and perform diagnostic tests that make sense from a clinical and cost standpoint.
“If laboratories are able to make better economic decisions, then hopefully the costs of genetic testing will stabilize resulting in significant therapeutic benefits for more patients. This will not only help limit cost increases for patients, but also yield better clinical outcomes,” Montagna said.
Montagna, based at the Grand Island, N.Y., location of Rheonix, is a featured presenter at the upcoming MDx Next Conference in Las Vegas, Nev. MDx Next is sponsored by G2 Intelligence, an industry analysis firm, and provides independent laboratories, hospital laboratories, in vitro diagnostics companies and pathology practices from across the United States with business strategies to navigate the current industry landscape.
His talk, “Providing Cost-Effective Molecular Diagnostics: How to Overcome the Challenges,” will outline the factors laboratories should consider before performing any tests. He will also help explain the challenges associated with providing diagnostics for personalized medicine and companion diagnostics in a manner that meets the needs of laboratories, patients, physicians, payers and manufacturers.
Montagna has more than 30 years of leadership experience and has managed the commercialization of more than 40 biotechnology products. He has published 40 scientific papers, holds a number of patents in the biosensor area and is an adjunct professor in the department of biological and environmental engineering at Cornell University.
MDx Next is June 12-14 at the Westin Las Vegas Hotel Casino & Spa. Montagna is scheduled to present at 9-9:45 a.m. on June 13.
About Rheonix:
Rheonix Inc. is committed to improving standards of care by making molecular diagnostics available to more people, in more places, more often. Rheonix, through experienced leadership and creative vision, has developed the EncompassMDx™ platform, a highly customizable technology with unmatched versatility and affordability. The platform performs fully automated, complex molecular assays in an easy-to-use and economical format on the Rheonix CARD® cartridge. With both the Rheonix CARD and EncompassMDx family of products, Rheonix is well-positioned to penetrate key molecular diagnostic market sectors, from reference labs through point-of-care and everywhere in between. For more information, visit www.rheonix.com.
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