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Southern Missouri diagnostic lab ceases operations

Services at Gamma Healthcare Inc. were suspended by regulators after discovering deficiencies in its COVID-19 testing procedures. The lab provides routine diagnostic tests for nursing homes in Missouri and Kansas, though so far been unable to restore its certifications.

A Southern Missouri diagnostic lab has ceased operations after having its lab certifications pulled by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Prior to closing, Gamma Healthcare Inc. in Poplar Bluff, Mo. provided laboratory and radiology services for hundreds of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in Missouri, Kansas and across nine other states.

Around 900 facilities just in Missouri have contracts with Gamma Healthcare Inc. Along with the Poplar Bluff location, one of the company’s locations in Springfield, Mo. was also closed.

The company claims it took the necessary steps to correct deficiencies detected by CMS, though was unable to restore its certifications.

“Despite this, CMS suspended all testing at Poplar Bluff, the nucleus of our company, which was overbroad and unnecessary,” Jerrod Murphy, president and CEO of Gamma Healthcare said in letter. “And, unfortunately, [this] had the effect of rendering us, for the most part, unable to continue operations.”

Gamma provided an array of routine diagnostic tests for nursing homes and long-term care facilities in Missouri, Kansas and nine other states.