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Case Study:

Connecticut Gastroenterology Associates

 
 

PROJECT OVERVIEW

As a community gastroenterologist in central Connecticut, Dr. Amer Skopic first encountered ECPC’s pathology services through his hospital affiliation. He soon came to appreciate ECPC’s clinical expertise, as well as the way ECPC President Dr. Dennis O’Neill, MD, FCAP, supported independent physician groups.

“We had a very close working relationship,” said Dr. Skopic, who began working with ECPC in 2015. Among other positive attributes, Dr. Skopic appreciated the timely results ECPC provided and the fact that ECPC’s staff includes 5 pathologists who specialize in gastrointestinal disease, four of whom are fellowship-trained.

“They had someone with full expertise in areas where it’s sometimes challenging to make a diagnosis, with lifelong repercussions for the patient,” Dr. Skopic said. 

When Dr. Skopic later moved to Connecticut Gastroenterology Associates (CGA), he partnered with ECPC for his patients’ pathology samples. And when an opportunity arose for the whole group to transition pathology services, Dr. Skopic recommended that his partners consider ECPC.

“I felt ECPC was the best fit for us personality-wise, professionalism-wise and resources-wise,” Dr. Skopic said. Still, the partners performed their due diligence and also considered other consultants before selecting ECPC. “Dr. O’Neill’s group had the best combination of excellent patient care and personable approach and easy accessibility,” Dr. Skopic said.

“ ECPC was the best fit for us personality-wise, professionalism-wise and resources-wise”
— Amer Skopic, MD
 
 
 
 
 
 
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CLIENT RESULTS

ECPC helped CGA design, construct, staff and open a physician office lab in Bloomfield in October 2020, ensuring that its new client had all the information and assistance required. ECPC also provided reassuring guidance as COVID-19 slowed state licensing and inspections for new labs.

“In the whole process, Dr. O’Neill and ECPC were extremely helpful — they provided great guidance,” Dr. Skopic said. “It’s been a great and seamless operation.”

When a histology technician employed by CGA unexpectedly decided to leave, ECPC stepped in, helping its client quickly find a replacement despite a national labor shortage in the field. ““They were able to bridge that gap for us so there was no interruption in specimen processing,” Dr. Skopic said.

“They’re extremely professional, extremely friendly, extremely easy to work with and extremely helpful. It’s a partnership where you cannot ask for anything better.”
— Amer Skopic, MD

Dr. Skopic also cites the improvement in turnaround times for reports with ECPC. He appreciates the ability to request earlier reads for time-sensitive cases, such as suspected GI tract cancer. Those turnarounds come the same day or the next, and the pathologist also immediately calls when discovering evidence of malignancies.

“That helps me expedite the care for the patient and give the patient a definitive diagnosis sooner, so we can move to the next step of care,” Dr. Skopic said.

Partnering with ECPC also further solidifies CGA’s foundation, Dr. Skopic said, so it can resist the industry-wide pull to join a larger health system.

“This provides another opportunity to keep us independent so we can advocate for patients as much as we can,” Dr. Skopic said. “I can’t say enough about how happy I am with our collaboration. They’re extremely professional, extremely friendly, extremely easy to work with and extremely helpful. It’s a partnership where you cannot ask for anything better.”