[Histonet] Re: Basis for Quality Work in a Histotech

[Lynette Pavelich]

Dr. Richmond,
It's always refreshing to hear what the "other shoe" has to say! I'm sure seeing those required quality control sheets coming in everyday is tiring, and then especially frustrating when small to none results are seen in a timely manner. I can empathize with you as change/improvement can sometimes take a long time!! 

I also realize.......after being in the field 40+ years (ouch!), that verbal communication seems to work faster than all those required sheets of paper you have to fill out. Like the pathologist who comes through the door saying; "HEY.......what happened with this slide??" (LOL) will get a much faster response/correction than those papers I receive back everyday to collate! It's just more personal, and shows the techs more of the pathologist's side of the hardships of diagnosing after receiving less than lovely slides.

Equally refreshing, is a pathologist who remembers to thank the tech who does a great job! And I thank you for that! A genuine complement is really appreciated!

Lynette

Lynette Pavelich, HT(ASCP)
Histology Supervisor
Hurley Medical Center
One Hurley Plaza
Flint, MI 48503

ph: 810.262.9948
mobile: 810.444.7966

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From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] on behalf of Bob Richmond [rsrichmond <@t> gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2012 1:42 PM
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Subject: [Histonet] Re: Basis for Quality Work in a Histotech

From: Kim Donadio <one_angel_secret <@t> yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Basis for Quality Work in a Histotech
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Kim Donadio (where?) comments:
>>I'd like to add my two cents to the measuring "Quality" topic. I'll make it short. - You should have a "Quality Management" program. It's vital to track errors, types of errors, frequency and who etc. This is NOT a tool for blame as we are all adults or we should be. It is however a tool for tracking trends, making improvements and yes if you did see someone making a mistake often, you would have the data to educate particular personnel. - There are QM tools out there from various organizations. And yes, there are standards of deviations such as the TAT for frozens. There are standards for other things as well. Set Standards of excellence with your Pathologist. Make goals. Track them. Follow improvement.<<

I'm going to add a sour and cynical rejoinder. As most of you know,
I'm an elderly pathologist who's spent the last 30 years as a locum
tenens, working maybe 60 pathology services in my "career". Sometimes
in a pathology practice I'll be asked to fill out daily "quality
whatever" (the patter changes with the years) reports about the
slides. I always dread having to do this, because I know that the more
of this paperwork I have to do, the worse the slides will be. The
worst was one that required several square inches of scribbling a day.
They couldn't mount a coverslip correctly.

Any meaningful system would require daily feedback from pathologist
(or other end user) to histotechnologist. I've never encountered a
pathology service that accomplished this.

Dang - now I'm remembering that this morning duodenal biopsy sections
were the best I'd ever seen here, and I forgot to tell the histotech
before she slipped out the door!

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Maryville TN

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