[Histonet] Histotechs: how many are we nationwide?

Fri Oct 6 10:18:44 CDT 2006

Pamela:
  You are so right!
  I am going to transcribe to you a paragraph of an article I just finished and that is going to be published on Jan./07 titled:
  "Histology: a unique area of the Medical Laboratory" and the paragraphs deal with "Personnel / Staffing":

"Who were the initial histotechs? They were medical students, nurses and some college graduates in disciplines unrelated to medicine or even biology. They were also anybody with manual dexterity willing to put up with toxic fumes and unsafe environments: orderlies, janitors or secretaries hoping to improve in position, as well as high school graduates and even family members and friends of the pathologists. They all just trained on the job and about 50 percent of the histology personnel were grandfathered when having a license was mandatory".

  O another heading I point out: "On those early days [late XIX and early XX centuries], except for some "bacteriology" pioneering research, and the microscopic observation of blood smears and urine sediments, the rest of the Medical Laboratory did not exen exist! [When histology was already a completely developed trade!].

  Those facts are the ones causing the salaries disparities and the feeling some histotech have of being "looked down" by other med lab professionals.
  These problems will not "go away" until all are certified, have the needed theoretical knowledge and are aware of their value.
  A first step would be to have an idea of "hoe many we are!"
  René J.

Pamela Marcum <pmarcum <@t> vet.upenn.edu> wrote:
  Rene,

Your questions are all on target and I don't see 
NSH or ASCP really answering them. The pay is 
low - still for most and the respect is not 
there. I am always amazed when I explain what 
histology is to someone and that we don't require 
a full degree I get the deer in headlights 
look. If lay people knew what we know about the 
training and expertise we are required to have 
and the lack of schools we might get more 
attention. Histology in this country started as 
tech being trained and staying with the same 
pathologist form residency to death and in the 
beginning it was the best we could 
do. Unfortuanetly the pathologist in many cases 
are just as guilty of not showing respect or 
expecting improvement or education as ASCP was 
when were just the ugly step children in the 
stinky laboratory down the hall. I am in 
research and have to say I have loved it more 
than clinical as I can get more respect and grow 
more than I did when I was clinical. I am 
thankful for the customers I worked with over the 
years in industry as they helped me grow in new 
directions also. I wish I had answers however 
the powers that control us are in the hands of 
ASCP and NSH. WE were to have more power with 
NSH for histology and I really don't see over my 
years in the field and I am a baby boomer too.

Pamela

At 10:31 AM 10/6/2006, you wrote:
>Pamela:
>The number is probably higher,but we should try 
>to know, strength is in the numbers.
>Why we are not even considered amongst the 
>medical professionals in the US Census?
>Why nobody knows how many are needed to cover 
>the retiring HTs, those that are "baby boomers'?
>Why there is not a cry for more schools?
>Why it is allowed that some "private" labs pay 
>functioning histotechs salaries below those of other medical lab professionals?
>Why is has been just now (2005) that the HTs 
>salaries have been more or less reached the other salaries in the ML?
>The oficial figures of ASCP certified have to be 
>reduced at least by half; I do not envision many 
>HT(ASCP) certified in 1948 to be alive! And the 
>same goes for the HTL, I am one already retired and I am not alone!
>René J.
>
>Pamela Marcum 
wrote:
>One area I don't see addressed is we may have had
>20,000 registered but how many are still
>working. I was registered in the eight thousands
>in the mid seventies so the increase is not that
>great compared to what we seem to need now and
>the fact that many of us will retire over the
>next 5 to 10 years. The number of HTLs may
>increase that number however we are still
>woefully short of Histologist in all areas. I
>think actual numbers are hard to some by with all things considered.
>
>Pam Marcum
>
>At 05:55 PM 10/5/2006, Vinnie Della Speranza wrote:
> >I'm trying desperately to stay out of this
> >discussion but I can help with the number you've
> >requested. the NSH is making plans to celebrate
> >the 20,000th HT(ASCP) which is expected to occur
> >this Fall. I don't have #s of HTLs but it is of course much smaller.
> >Vinnie
> >
> > >>> "Douglas D Deltour" 10/05/06 05:18PM >>>
> >If that is the case then we should be able to get somewhat of an accurate
> >number from ASCP. I would assume???
> >
> >
> >Douglas D. Deltour HT(ASCP)
> >Histology Supervisor
> >Professional Pathology Services, PC
> >One Science Court
> >Suite 200
> >Columbia, SC 29203
> >(803)252-1913
> >Fax (803)254-3262
> >
> >*****************************************************
> >PROFESSIONAL PATHOLOGY SERVICES, PC
> >NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY
> >This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to
> >which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged,
> >confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader
> >of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that
> >any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is
> >strictly prohibited by law. If you have received this communication in
> >error, please notify me immediately.
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: DeBrosse_Beatrice [mailto:DeBrosse_Beatrice <@t> Allergan.com]
> >Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006 5:10 PM
> >To: Douglas D Deltour; LuAnn Anderson; Rene J Buesa; LaDonna G. Elpers;
> >Jackie M O'Connor; Zajic Kari
> >Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu;
> >histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> >Subject: RE: [Histonet] Histotechs: how many are we nationwide?
> >
> >Maybe, but it would make the number a whole lot more accurate if only the
> >registered technicians would be accounted for. Otherwise, why even bother to
> >have a registration.
> >
> >That doesn't have anything do to with the quality of registered verses
> >nonregistered histotechs. I know from experience they can do just as good of
> >a job. But you have to draw the line somewhere.
> >
> >Beatrice DeBrosse-Serra
> >HT(ASCP)QIHC
> >Allergan, Inc.
> >2525 Dupont Drive RD-2A
> >Irvine, CA 92612
> >714-246-5116
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> >[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Douglas D
> >Deltour
> >Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006 1:44 PM
> >To: 'LuAnn Anderson'; 'Rene J Buesa'; 'LaDonna G. Elpers'; 'Jackie M
> >O'Connor'; 'Zajic Kari'
> >Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu;
> >histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> >Subject: RE: [Histonet] Histotechs: how many are we nationwide?
> >
> >Can of worms...
> >If you pass a NAACLS accredited school or get a degree in histology then why
> >wouldn't you call them a HT?
> >
> >
> >Douglas D. Deltour HT(ASCP)
> >Histology Supervisor
> >Professional Pathology Services, PC
> >One Science Court
> >Suite 200
> >Columbia, SC 29203
> >(803)252-1913
> >Fax (803)254-3262
> >
> >*****************************************************
> >PROFESSIONAL PATHOLOGY SERVICES, PC
> >NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY
> >This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to
> >which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged,
> >confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader
> >of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that
> >any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is
> >strictly prohibited by law. If you have received this communication in
> >error, please notify me immediately.
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> >[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of LuAnn
> >Anderson
> >Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006 4:30 PM
> >To: Rene J Buesa; LaDonna G. Elpers; Jackie M O'Connor; Zajic Kari
> >Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu;
> >histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> >Subject: RE: [Histonet] Histotechs: how many are we nationwide?
> >
> >I think that certification should be the issue.
> >One does not truly have the title of HTif they
> >have not passed the registry exam. JMHO.
> >
> >At 02:47 PM 10/5/2006, Rene J Buesa wrote:
> > >No, certification is not the issue, just how
> > >many HTs there are, how many of us share this art of histology?
> > > René J.
> > >
> > >"LaDonna G. Elpers" wrote:
> > > Our facility has 6 Histology Technicians, my
> > > guess would be that there are probably another
> > > 15 in our town. The question would be if we
> > > talking about those certified only? We are
> > > currently half and half, 3 certified and 3 not.
> > >
> > >LaDonna G. Elpers, BA, HT(ASCP)
> > >Manager, Histology
> > >BASi (Bioanalytical Systems, Inc.)
> > >10424 Middle Mount Vernon Rd - Mount Vernon, IN 47620
> > >P 812.985.5900 ext 128
> > >F 812.985.3403
> > >lelpers <@t> bioanalytical.com
> > >www.bioanalytical.com
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> > >[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu]
> > >On Behalf Of Jackie M O'Connor
> > >Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006 1:46 PM
> > >To: Zajic Kari
> > >Cc: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu;
> > >histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> > >Subject: RE: [Histonet] Histotechs: how many are we nationwide?
> > >
> > >What about those of us who are doing the work of four people? Does that
> > >count?
> > >JO'C
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >"Zajic Kari"
> > >Sent by: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> > >10/05/2006 01:28 PM
> > >
> > >To
> > >"Rene J Buesa" ,
> > >cc
> > >
> > >Subject
> > >RE: [Histonet] Histotechs: how many are we nationwide?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >Hi Rene, I enjoyed your recent article in the new Advance, was very
> > >interesting! I am only one in my facility, a general hospital. If you are
> > >taking count!! :)
> > >
> > >You have now inspired me to re-new my severly overdue membership with the
> > >NSH.
> > >Cheers from West Palm!
> > >Kari :)
> > >
> > >Kari Marie Zajic HTL,MLT
> > >Histology/Pathology Supervisor
> > >Palms West Hospital
> > >Pathology Department
> > >13001 State Road Eighty
> > >Loxahatchee, Florida 33470
> > >phone: (561)798-6036
> > >fax: (561)753-4298
> > >voicemail: (561)753-4299
> > >pager: (561)610-4949
> > >email: Kari.Zajic <@t> HCAHealthcare.com
> > >
> > >This email and any files transmitted with it may contain PRIVILEGED or
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> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> > >[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu]On Behalf Of Rene J
> > >Buesa
> > >Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006 1:32 PM
> > >To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> > >Subject: [Histonet] Histotechs: how many are we nationwide?
> > >
> > >
> > >Dear Histonet subscriber:
> > >
> > >The US Census does NOT recognize histotechs (HTs) as a category of
> > >professionals (the NSH is going to try to do something about that during
> > >2007) so we do not know how many we are. Some indirect calculations are
> > >needed to answer that question.
> > >According to the US Census bureau:
> > >
> > >1- there are 5,193 general and surgical hospitals and perhaps 95% of
> > >them have a histology laboratory = 5,000 labs
> > >2- the average number of HTs per lab = 9 (range from 1 to 15 or more in
> > >some).
> > >So, in hospital settings there could be 5,000 x 9 = 45,000 HTs
> > >
> > >3- There are 4,084 institutions of higher education and perhaps 50% have
> > >some sort of histology lab, veterinary, marine, research, botany, etc. =
> > >2,000 histology labs.
> > >4- those experimental labs have an average of 2 HTs (between 1 and 5,
> > >sometimes up to 10)
> > >So, in universities there could be 2,000 x 2 = 4,000 HTs
> > >
> > >Adding both = 49,000 histotechs nationwide.
> > >
> > >If membership to the NSH in 2006 (4,400 members) is any indicator (and
> > >usually prestigious professional societies are able to have a membership
> > >of roughly 10% of the profession) it can be said that the 4,400 members in
> > >2006 = 9% of the proposed number.
> > >
> > >What do you think?
> > >Are we more than 49,000; less? or is 49,000 HTs about right?
> > >René J.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
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>Best Regards,
>
>Pamela A Marcum
>Manager, Histology Special Procedures
>University of Pennsylvania
>School of Veterinary Medicine
>R.S. Reynolds Jr. CORL
>New Bolton Center
>382 West Street Road
>Kennett Square, PA 19348
>
>Phone - 610-925-6278
>Fax - 610-925-8120
>E-mail - pmarcum <@t> vet.upenn.edu
>
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Best Regards,

Pamela A Marcum
Manager, Histology Special Procedures
University of Pennsylvania
School of Veterinary Medicine
R.S. Reynolds Jr. CORL
New Bolton Center
382 West Street Road
Kennett Square, PA 19348

Phone - 610-925-6278
Fax - 610-925-8120
E-mail - pmarcum <@t> vet.upenn.edu 

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