[Histonet] A call to action for US AP/Histologyprofessionals

Wed Feb 22 17:15:45 CST 2006

What a long sentence.. I sound like a pathologist! :>)

Joyce Weems
Pathology Manager
Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta
404-851-7376
404-851-7831 - fax

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu]On Behalf Of Weems, Joyce
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 6:06 PM
To: Julia Dahl; Rcartun <@t> harthosp.org; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; tkngflght <@t> yahoo.com
Subject: RE: [Histonet] A call to action for US AP/Histologyprofessionals

Thanks for explaining it better. We really do need to work together on
this and we need to make it happen before July 1 and not let it hang
around like the cyto proficiency testing which took a year of frayed
nerves and thousands of dollars before it got held.

-----Original Message-----
From: Julia Dahl [mailto:jdmd77 <@t> hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 6:01 PM
To: Weems, Joyce; Rcartun <@t> harthosp.org;
histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; tkngflght <@t> yahoo.com
Subject: RE: [Histonet] A call to action for US
AP/Histologyprofessionals

Thank you Joyce for your understanding of the issues at hand with the
discrepant handling of MUEs for the people doing the procedure and those
of
us involved in making the diagnosis on the tissue procured from the
procedure.

If the MUE for a biopsy is TEN - then the MUE for the pathology services
on
biopsies should be TEN, not two.

Yes, healthcare costs are rising and do need to be curtailed, blanket
reduction in pathology services reimbursement out of proportion to other

specialties - claiming that anything beyond two biopsies on a single
patient
on a single day are "unbelievable edits" so far outside the standard of
care
as to be considered equivalent to a typographical error is heinous.

Every patient with chronic diarrhea, iron deficiency anemia, dysphagia,
Barrett's esophagus, inflammatory bowel disease NEEDS to have more than
two
sites biopsied FOR the standard of care;  every man with an elevated
PSA,
every woman with multiple breast lumps needs to have more than two sites

biopsies FOR the standard of care to be maintained.

Again, Joyce, thank you.  The MUEs for pathology are not the answer to
the
current ails of the American Medical system.

Julia Dahl, M.D.
Pathologist

>This is true, but it should be a fair thing. Why should a dermatologist
>collect for 10 reimbursements and the pathologist only two of those
ten?
>j
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Richard
>Cartun
>Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 4:13 PM
>To: Histonet; Cheryl
>Subject: Re: [Histonet] A call to action for US
>AP/Histologyprofessionals
>
>One way or another, we must cut spending.  Health care costs are out of
>control (16% of our economic output is consumed by health care).  Our
>country cannot continue down this path.
>
>Richard
>
>Richard W. Cartun, Ph.D.
>Director, Immunopathology & Histology
>Assistant Director, Anatomic Pathology
>Hartford Hospital
>80 Seymour Street
>Hartford, CT  06102
>(860) 545-1596
>(860) 545-0174 Fax
>
> >>> Cheryl <tkngflght <@t> yahoo.com> 02/21/06 10:00AM >>>
>Hello Folks--
>
>   There is another issue we should consider a call to paper the Senate
>with letters stating our opinions....The AFIP faces closure due to
>realignment by base closures (BRAC)--this includes the pathology center
>AND the school!!  We've lost so many good schools, and the AFIP is
among
>the best.  There is a bill to relocate core services of the AFIP to
>another center and the link below provides an easy way to write you
your
>senator in support of this bill:
>
>   http://capwiz.com/ascpath/issues/alert/?alertid=8171231&type=CO
>
>   Please take a minute to show your support for our science on MUE
>billing (Peggy's email of earlier today),AFIP closure, and two
>additional issues threatening continued viability of lab science in
this
>country.  The form is easy to fill out, and you can forward the link to
>several friends once you submit your letter (it will give you another
>pop-up for sharing the letter once you click to submit yours) to
>increase the impact of our unified voice.  This link will lead you to
>both letters and you can send it by email or snail mail:
>   http://capwiz.com/ascpath/home/
>
>   Thank you for your continued interest and support tp maintain
>visibility and viability of our craft.  Together we DO make a
>difference.
>
>
>
>Cheryl Kerry, HT(ASCP)
>Full Staff Inc.
>Staffing the AP Lab by helping one Tech at a time.
>281.883.7704 c
>281.852.9457 o
>admin <@t> fullstaff.org
>
>Sign up for the FREE monthly newsletter AP News--updates, tricks of the
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>
>
>
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Confidentiality Notice ** The information contained in this message may be privileged and is confidential information intended for the use of the addressee listed above. If you are neither the intended recipient nor the employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer. Thank you. Saint Joseph's Health System, Inc.