Is there a future for clinical laboratories? Experience in the Marche Region, Italy

Abstract The government of the Marche Region has approved an Act called the “Regional Health Plan” establishing rules for the organization and development of healthcare. The main aim of the general plan is to rationalize the activities of medical laboratories first by making up an inventory of existing facilities and tests performed, and by classifying laboratories on the basis of their specialization and the complexity of tests that they perform. Moreover, the possible role of point-of-care testing and the need for clinical advice by laboratory professionals has also been debated.