[Histonet] GSH meeting reminder

[Shirley Powell]

The Georgia Society for Histotechnology invites you to the 2009 meeting to
be held at Sea Palms Resort at St. Simons Island, Georgia, March 20-22,
2009.  The program is outlined below.  The separate registration form and
the program can be downloaded from www.histosearch.com/gsh.  Complete hotel
information can be found by clicking on the announcement link on the
symposium page as well.  Please make your reservations now by calling the
Sea Palms Resort at 1-800-841-6268.  Be sure to tell them you are attending
the GSH meeting and visit their web site at www.seapalms.com.  Special GSH
Room Rates are $99 for two double beds and $109 for two double beds or a
King bed Suites are available as well as Villas. 

March 20, 2009 - Friday
1 to 5 p.m.:  HT/HTL Review Session for Students:  Carl Sagasser, BS,
HT(ASCP), Educational Coordinator and Taiquanda Winbush, AS, HT(ASCP)
Clinical Laboratory Coordinator, Darton College Histology Program - This is
a review class for students preparing to take the HT/HTL examination.  The
class will consist of 3-4 hours of Q&A along with presented slides.  A
workbook will be included as part of the program.  Topics included in this
workshop will include discussion on fixation, microtomy, staining,
laboratory operations, safety and processing/embedding.  Also included will
be general discussion of histology at the microscopic level including images
of representative tissues.  Students taking this course should have a
general knowledge of histological technique and will be taking the National
Registry exam in the next few months.
5 to 7 p.m.:  Meeting Registration
7 to 9 p.m.:  Vendor Reception in Vendor Area

March 21, 2009 - Saturday

7:00-8:00 a.m.:  Meeting Registration

8:30 a.m. to 12: Workshop #1 - Today's Artifacts - Tomorrow's Facts
8:30 a.m. to 12: Workshop #2 - Expense Analysis and Reduction in the IHC Lab
	(10:00 - 10:30 a.m.:  Break in Vendor Area)

12:00 - 1:00-GSH AWARDS LUNCHEON

1:00 to 4:30 p.m.:  Workshop #3 - Decalcified and Undecalcified Bone:
Histology Techniques
1:00 to 4:30 p.m.:  Workshop #4 - Basic Troubleshooting for Histology
Laboratory Equipment
 (2:30 - 3:00 p.m.:   Break in Vendor area)

4:30 p.m.:  GSH General Membership Meeting
	(GSH Board Meeting to Follow)

March 22, 2009 - Sunday

7:00-8:00 a.m.:  Meeting Registration

8:30 to 12 a.m.: Workshop #5 - Commitment in the Workplace - What Does it
Mean to the Employee and the Employer

8:30 to 12 a.m.: Workshop #6 - Contemporary Trends in Immunohistochemistry
	(10:00 - 10:30 a.m.:  Break in Vendor Area)
 
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS:  
#1:  Today's Artifacts - Tomorrow's Facts?
Lamar Jones BS, HT(ASCP) - This workshop will teach the participant to
recognize and identify artifacts from the gross board, fixation, processing,
embedding, microtomy, staining, coverslipping and other areas of
histotechnology. 

#2:  Expense Analysis and Reduction in the IHC Lab
Joe Myers MS, CT(ASCP) - This presentation is intended to review the
financial aspects of performing immunohistochemistry (and related
heat-retrieval) procedures, with an emphasis on using cost analysis and
comparison tools, to assist a laboratory in calculating its existing reagent
costs and determine where expense-reduction opportunities exist.
Participants will be shown how to gather essential data and enter it into
simple spreadsheets that ensure "apples to apples" comparisons.  Through
this process, participants will also gain an appreciation of how the
mechanisms by which various heat-retrieval and automated slide-staining
instruments 'work' affect the cost of the resulting slides.  Handout
material, including comparison tables, spreadsheets, and published papers
will also be provided.  

#3:  Decalcified and Undecalcified Bone: Histology Techniques
Vicki Kalscheur HT(ASCP) - Decalcified and undecalcified bone samples are a
constant challenge for research histology laboratories.  This workshop will
start with an introduction on research protocol and collaborative
methodologies.  Next, it will cover decalcified specimen collection,
fixation, processing, sectioning, routine, and special staining of bone
samples that are received in the research histology laboratory.  The second
half of this lecture will discuss the proper handling, preparation, and
staining of undecalcified plastic embedded bone samples.  Handouts include
PowerPoint slides and additional information based on presenter's research
protocols and methodology.  The presenter understands many of the attendees
may not work in research settings: however, the technical information may be
helpful in diagnostic laboratory settings.  Time is allowed at the end to
look at embedded blocks and histological microscopic slides.  

#4:  Basic Troubleshooting for Histology Laboratory Equipment 
Jason Velasquez, Technical Engineer -This course will provide a basic
preventive maintenance guide that will assist users of histology equipment
in the upkeep and troubleshooting of their instruments.  The type of
cleaning solvents that can and cannot be used will be discussed (along with
some pictures that show what happens when the wrong cleaning supplies are
used) and how and where to clean for best results.  The types of tools that
should be kept in the laboratory's tool chest and how and when to use them
will be demonstrated.  Common types of faults that can be reasonably
repaired by the average Histotech will be discussed and the ways, tools and
thoughts behind the troubleshooting process will be investigated.  Some
symptoms that precede failures will be made known so that the users can
notify their bio-medical technicians or repair group of a pending failure,
before the instrument breaks completely.

#5:  Commitment in the Workplace - What Does it Mean to the Employee and
Employer - Wanda Grace Jones HT(ASCP) Hospitals, research labs and private
laboratories still struggle with the continuous loss of employees and
finding new employees to fill positions.  Past research has isolated two
variables that impact employee turnover.  The first variable is the
employee's identification with and involvement in an organization.  The
second variable is the employee's perception of level of commitment an
organization has to the employee.  We will discuss the attitude toward an
organization which attaches the person to an organization, the process by
which the goals of the organization and the employee become integrated,
building better communication between employee and employer and cost
associated when an employee leaves an employer/

#6:  Contemporary Trends in Immunohistochemistry
Mary Cheles MPH, HTL, DLM(ASCP) - The analysis of a patient has historically
relied on morphology and the evaluation of individual antibodies on
pathological tissue.  Immunohistochemistry has been in practice for the past
40 years.  During that time, we have seen an evolution from individual
reagents to optimized systems and from manual staining practices to fully
automated options.  Pathology and laboratory medicine is changing faster
than ever. In the future, personalized medicine will define the effect of a
therapy based on an individual's gene and protein profile.  What does this
mean and where does the histology community fit in?  This workshop will
briefly review immunohistochemistry basics, opportunities for automation,
process standardization, antibody validation, regulatory product labeling
and current proficiency testing.

Shirley A. Powell, HT(ASCP)HTL, QIHC
Technical Director Histology 
Curricular Support Laboratory
Mercer University School of Medicine
1550 College Street
Macon, GA  31207
Ph:  478-301-2374
Fx:  478-301-5489