By Rebecca Wright and Melissa Davies
Labtests has finally put itself under the microscope. The first head has rolled at the embattled medical company, with its CEO stepping aside.
Labtests has been strongly criticised over the speed and accuracy of its operations since taking over a multi-million dollar contract to service the Auckland area.
It has only been fully operational for five weeks.
CEO Ulf Lindskog is heading back to Australia, his financial skills replaced with the medical expertise of another senior manager.
"If you were to give Ulf a scorecard in what he's been able to achieve in his 12 months in Auckland, he would rate very, very highly," says Dr Michael Coglin. "However there are still issues that need to be addressed that require certain skills that are different from Ulf's."
Dr Coglin has flown in from Australia to treat the damage. He says Mr Lindskog wasn't fired - rather he stepped aside and the focus now is fixing the problem.
"My first impression is that yes, there are some problems around the lab at the moment, but none that can't be solved and none that can't be solved very quickly."
That begins with a direct phone line for doctors to have better communication with pathologists.
Dr Peter Didsbury represents more than 550 doctors through Procare, and says he has been getting about 70 complaints about Labtests each day.
"We have been expressing some concern for some weeks," he says. "I think there's been some tardiness in the way that Labtests have responded to it. But as I say, we are pleased that the gravity of the situation is now recognised."
Prime Minister John Key says the message has been sent loud and clear.
"It's quite clear that the message we've delivered to the Auckland District Health Board has been delivered to Labtests, and that is: pull up your socks and improve your performance."
And it could be a case of shape up, or ship out.
The ADHB wants results by the end of the month, and if Labtests don't deliver the DHB has the power to cancel the contract.
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