I agree that the verbal approach is swiftest. I remember one lab that I worked in where we did daily QA sheets for overall quality. Specifics might be noted, but since I didn't always get the sheets back the same day - they weren't of much real help. Anyway, one day the pathologists tells me he thinks I need to look at the hematoxylin as it was staining "funny". Sure enough, it was.
I inquired when he first noticed it and he said "oh, it's been several days". I looked at the sheets and everything was marked satisfactory. I got rid of the sheets, documented my own daily checks, and simply asked the paths how they thought things looked each day. They reviewed and signed off on the sheets at the end of the month, but I got first hand feedback which actually meant something and problems got solved in a more timely manner. I'm sure this experience is not unique, but since that event I have always insisted that the pathologist come directly to the lab when they have a problem with any aspect of the work. It's amazing what a little communication will do. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Lynette Pavelich Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2012 1:06 PM To: Bob Richmond; [email protected] Subject: RE: [Histonet] Re: Basis for Quality Work in a Histotech 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 ________________________________________ From: [email protected] [[email protected]] on behalf of Bob Richmond [[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2012 1:42 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Histonet] Re: Basis for Quality Work in a Histotech From: Kim Donadio <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Histonet] Basis for Quality Work in a Histotech To: "O'Donnell, Bill" <[email protected]>, Maria Mejia <[email protected]>, "Morken, Timothy" <[email protected]> Cc: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 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 _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet This electronic mail and any attached documents are intended solely for the named addressee(s) and contain confidential information. If you are not an addressee, or responsible for delivering this email to an addressee, you have received this email in error and are notified that reading, copying, or disclosing this email is prohibited. If you received this email in error, immediately reply to the sender and delete the message completely from your computer system. _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
