[Histonet] Re: Unregistered HT

[Marcum, Pamela A]

Thank you Bob!  I remember when pathology residents had to spend some time in histology learning at least enough to know we were a team not enemies.  Residents now barely get to see the Histology Lab so expecting them to see us as anything other than labor is a part of the issue.  Their world is changing and I am not sure how it will play out for AP as whole.  

Deming was very sure as you stated that worker feedback and more importantly input into the process of every area of manufacturing was the key to having a both a creative and happy workforce.  Deming wanted to encourage creativity for the workers so they were part of the whole process.  We are rarely asked for input in any area of the work arena due to the tiered system that has developed in all areas of employment today.  It is usually the squeaky wheel that get the grease or in this improvements in any area of the workplace and life.

Pam Marcum

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Bob Richmond
Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2013 8:22 AM
To: Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Re: Unregistered HT

Since somebody mentioned the Samurai Pathologist (who is now 74 years old and in his 50th year in pathology) -

I agree with most of what's been said here and I won't repeat it.

>From the pathologist's viewpoint - remember that most pathologists are 
>now
on salary (or soon will be) and don't have a dog in the fight about doing the job as cheaply as possible.

I think that a very large part of the problem is that most pathologists haven't a clue as to what goes on in the histology lab (that's why we cram cassettes full of fatty breast tissue), and that pathologists need to acquire this knowledge in residency, to the degree that they can teach and trouble-shoot or work with senior technologists who can. It's particularly important that pathologists learn to embed.

Edwards Deming was an economist who grew up in "operations research" during World War 2. After the War he tried to get the automotive industry to adopt his methods. The executives laughed at him (and still do in the business schools, I think), so he took his ideas to Japan, where they built the Japanese automative industry. Deming's major idea (if I understand him
correctly) was that workers need constant specific feedback about what they're doing.

I think that the establishment of effective feedback from pathologist to histotechnologist is the first step in solving the problem we've been talking about. And I think that means a pathologist sitting down with a histotechnologist and reviewing some of the day's slides every blessed day.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Maryville TN
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