Richard G. Patton, M.D. (Observer)

Dr. Richard Patton, co-founder, is a board-certified pathologist with more than 40 years of active practice experience. Recognizing the patient safety and financial implications of false positive blood cultures, he has long been interested in exploring opportunities to reduce contamination rates.

In 2006, Dr. Patton designed a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of Initial Specimen Diversion Technique (ISDT), an innovation that he conceived earlier in his career. The results of the trial were significantly positive and published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

Dr. Patton’s areas of expertise are clinical microbiology, gastrointestinal pathology, and cytopathology. He was the Chief of Pathology and Medical Director of Clinical Laboratories at Northwest Hospital, Seattle, Washington for four decades. He has served as a Laboratory Inspector, Washington State Commissioner, NW Regional Commissioner, and Accreditation and Complaints Committee Member for the College of American Pathologists Laboratory Accreditation Program.

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