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July 2015

Put it on the Board, 7/15

July 2015—Amid excitement about the groundbreaking work of unlocking the human genome’s secrets to speed diagnosis and target oncologic treatment comes the unpleasant reality that much of this labor now goes unpaid. Getting the American Medical Association’s editorial panel to publish nearly two dozen new genomics-related CPT codes for molecular pathology was a vital step, as was having those codes accepted in the Medicare clinical laboratory fee schedule.

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Anatomic Pathology Selected Abstracts, 7/15

July 2015—Expanding the morphologic spectrum of differentiated VIN by mapping p53 loss; Mitotic count by PHH3 immunohistochemical staining in pancreatic WDNETs; Comparison of prostate cancer markers in lymph node and distant metastases; Evaluation of a new grading system for laryngeal squamous intraepithelial lesions; Breast cancer assessment based on levels of estrogen receptor expression ...

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Newsbytes, 7/15

July 2015—Why Sonora Quest gave itself high marks for LIS conversion; Pathologists share homegrown software for infant autopsies; CMS promotes innovation by offering data to private sector; Agilent purchases Cartagenia; Database provides information from next-gen sequencing

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Paths to validating next-gen sequencing assays

July 2015—As more clinical laboratories tread the unfamiliar ground of next-generation sequencing, they are faced with the age-old challenges of establishing validation and quality control processes. Two experts tackled the topic of molecular QC during a recent CAP TODAY webinar presented in cooperation with Horizon Diagnostics and available for viewing on demand ...

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For CKD, work is on to refine and find biomarkers

July 2015—Getting the upper hand on chronic kidney disease requires taking maximum advantageof existing CKD biomarker capabilities. It also means discovering new markers, though the trick is finding those that can expand treatment options. Some believe fibroblast growth factor-23 has the potential to fit that bill, with one researcher calling it “among the most exciting new targets in chronic kidney disease.”

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From the President’s Desk: Our role in shared decision-making, 7/15

July 2015—Responsibilities as medical director for transfusion and coagulation services at Nebraska Methodist Hospital in Omaha occupy about 15 percent of my time. We have an excellent staff, the work is satisfying, and I enjoy the patient contact. In 2007, we became one of what are now three hospitals in Nebraska with recognized blood conservation programs and one of about 150 nationally that accommodate patients who refuse or restrict blood use for personal or religious reasons. Many of these patients travel a significant distance to reach us.

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Business analytics insight within easy reach

July 2015—It used to be that business analytic solutions came only from LIS or enterprise-wide vendors, accessing these solutions meant going through the IT department, and laboratories’ requests to join the business analytics party frequently fell to the bottom of the priority pile. Forget “used to be.” Now, says Hal Weiner of Weiner Consulting Services LLC, in Eugene, Ore., “new tools have been developed by third-party vendors to make it much easier for labs themselves to create their own dashboards, their own queries, and their own monitoring tools.” And interest in business analytics is high among health care executives.

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In genetics, stay open to the unexpected

July 2015—When Uta Francke, MD, received the Association for Molecular Pathology Award for Excellence in Molecular Diagnostics at the 2014 AMP meeting, she titled her lecture “Adventures in Disease Gene Identification and Characterization of Mutations.” Her title was appropriate for a research clinician who, during her 35-year career, while working on several major human genetic disease challenges, contributed in significant ways to our understanding of important genetic disease mechanisms and whose laboratory identified the gene for Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

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Evidence drives guideline on reducing interpretive error

July 2015—Secondary review of surgical pathology cases is a common, if not universal, practice in U.S. anatomic pathology departments. The evidence has shown that case reviews detect errors. But until now, one important thing has been missing: consensus on the actual standard of practice for such reviews. Anatomic pathology departments have lacked evidence-based guidelines on how and when to conduct reviews.

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New lab, new efficiencies: doors open at Geisinger

July 2015—The last time Geisinger Medical Laboratories had a new facility, American women were still five years from getting the vote. Typhoid Mary had only recently ceased merrily showering her employers’ food with Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. And the celebrity name on everyone’s lips was Charlie Chaplin. A view of the new laboratory building. “I think we have actually achieved the ideal in terms of efficiency,” says Dr. Schuerch (left), with Dr. Wilkerson.

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Q&A column, 7/15

July 2015—Q. We recently reorganized the workflow in our blood bank in hopes of improving process control and reducing distractions. In doing so, we increased the potential for workplace injuries. The ergonomic issues are a major concern for a lot of workers. Employees on all three shifts are developing back and knee issues. We are an 800-plus-bed hospital lab with more than 30 people working in our department. The following issues have arisen:

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