Australian owner appoints new boss for troubled Labtests

The Australian parent company of troubled Auckland laboratory testing company, Labtests, has taken over its leadership.

Healthscope chief operating officer of pathology Paul Waterson has stepped in from Labtests’ chief executive Ulf Lindskog, the company said in a statement this afternoon.

The move comes after extensive complaints about the lab testing company and claims the public was at risk, prompting health and disability commissioner Ron Paterson to take the matter to health minister Tony Ryall, according to media reports.

Healthscope’s chief medical officer, Dr Michael Coglin and Dr John Andrew, Healthscope pathology’s medical director, will also move to Labtests’ Mt Wellington Laboratory, to "restore and build on relationships with clinicians in the hospitals, private practice and in community practice."

Dr Coglin said the company acknowledged the "problems and difficulties" since the transition from Diagnostic Medlab to Labtests on August 10, 2009.

"These have impacted on patients and clinicians and for this we apologise and take responsibility. However we also emphasise our resolve to deliver a service that meets expectations of the DHB’s and the public of Auckland," he said in the statement.

Dr Coglin said Healthscope had met with District Health Boards (DHBs) over the weekend to discuss urgently-needed changes. "In addition, Labtests’ is reviewing all operating procedures to ensure timely reporting results, particularly urgent and critical results."

Health practitioners had complained they had to access Labtests pathologists and scientific staff through a call centre.  Dr Coglin said they now had direct access, along with a separate, dedicated line that had been operational since Friday.