CAPcasts

Adding ultrasound fine needle aspiration or USFNA to your practice’s diagnostic menu can provide a more thorough sampling of a palpable nodule than when using manually-directed sampling. The CAP’s USFNA Advanced Practical Pathology program provides hands-on training to allow pathologists to add a new dimension to their practice, as Dr. Susan Rollins explains in this CAPcast. The course will be held April 4-5, 2020, in Chicago (https://capatholo.gy/2T9cPv2).

Blood gas laboratories, like all laboratories operating under CLIA, need to ensure that they have qualified personnel in the CLIA defined roles. Many respiratory therapists only have an associates degree so they are not qualified to fulfill the technical consultant role as defined by CLIA because it requires a four year degree. Recently the CAP observed that CMS is citing blood gas labs for not having appropriate personnel during their validation inspections, as Dr. Earle Collum outlines in this CAPcast interview.

For more information, visit please visit Accreditation Resources on CAP.org (https://capatholo.gy/2tLQzN6) or call CAP Technical Specialists at 800-323-4040.

Pathologists have been at the forefront of efforts to understand why vaping causes severe lung illness in some individuals, and the nature of the injury that is caused by vaping. In this CAPcast interview, Dr. Timothy Allen, Chair of Pathology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, discusses what pathologists currently know about the impact of vaping on lungs.

The CAP strongly opposes vaping, particularly among children, teens, and young adults who have never smoked. While the CAP acknowledges that vaping may have a role in smoking cessation, we stress the need for improved medical research to inform vaping-related U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations or guidance. More information on the CAP's statement on vaping can be found on CAP.org: https://capatholo.gy/2QavwMZ.

The Color Atlas of Mycology (https://capatholo.gy/2FrMobZ) is an up-to-date resource designed to assist pathologists and medical technologists in the laboratory identification of fungi using the most recent taxonomic classifications. In addition, because the book includes more than 15 years of proficiency testing data, it helps pathologists and laboratory professionals better identify medically-important fungi by addressing confusion points identified by analysis of errors in proficiency testing over more than 15 years, as one of the book’s authors, Dr. Gordon Love, explains in this CAPcast interview.

Leading a laboratory involves both technical knowledge and softer skills: technical knowledge of testing and accreditation is needed along with the ability to manage people, perform risk assessment, and deal with finances and budgeting. Many pathologists leave training with the required technical knowledge but sometimes lack training and confidence in the “softer” skills. The CAP’s Laboratory Medical Direction course is led by experienced laboratory directors who can help correct gaps in your knowledge and improve your ability to function as a lab director. In this CAPcast, leading pathologists Dr. Elizabeth Wagar and Dr. Richard Scanlan discuss the benefits of attending the course, which will be held April 30-May 1 in Chicago: https://capatholo.gy/2mVcxrh.

While many hospitals don’t frequently activate massive transfusion protocols (or MTPs), these events may be stressful and confusing for laboratory personnel. And because of the low frequency of MTP activation without designated trauma centers, there may be confusion as to the appropriate laboratory protocol, explains Dr. Alexis Peedin in this CAPcast. Dr. Peedin helped lead the development of a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Program (or CPIP) course on this topic: https://capatholo.gy/2LfNkDI.

The CAP Policy Roundtable conducts the Practice Characteristics Survey (https://capatholo.gy/2KTjqoK) every other year to gather data that pathologists can use to understand how their practice compares to others, and how pathologists are dealing with current health care trends and the changing business environment. The CAP also uses the data gathered to set advocacy priorities and understand market pressures and environmental changes that affect the practicing pathologist.

In this CAPcast, Dr. Michael Cohen, Chair of the CAP Policy Roundtable, discusses the some of the key take-aways from the 2019 edition of this survey.

The laboratory and pathologist play an essential role in the diagnosis of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis or HLH. The pathologist’s morphologic diagnosis as well as direction to appropriate additional testing are truly essential for patient care, explains Dr. Megan Nakashima in this CAPcast. Dr. Nakashima also helped developed a course on this topic as part of the CAP’s Clinical Laboratory Improvement Program, or CPIP: https://capatholo.gy/31JGonR.

In recent years, biobanking has become increasingly vital to furthering the promise of precision medicine. However, academic, government and commercial biobanking operations have also come under increased pressure to balance their budgets and plan for long-term sustainability in the face of budget shortfalls and increased competition for limited research funding. As one of the primary medical specialties engaged in biobanking, pathologists face these challenges in their institutions, explains Dr. Jim Vaught, editor-in-chief of the journal Biopreservation and Biobanking (https://capatholo.gy/2nOY6Yx), in this CAPcast. Dr. Vaught has studied the challenges involved in the economics and sustainability over the past 10 years and has published several papers on these topics.

Learn more about the CAP's Biorepository Program: https://capatholo.gy/2LveVSV.

Protein electrophoresis is commonly ordered for patients with suspected or known plasma cell disorders. Pathologists may sometimes be unsure of the sequence in which tests should be ordered when evaluating for a plasma cell neoplasm, and it’s important to understand the utility and the limitations of each test, and its unique role in arriving at an accurate conclusion.

In this CAPcast, Dr. Diana Desai provides an overview of protein electrophoresis and some challenges that pathologists should be aware of when ordering these tests. Dr. Desai developed a course on this topic as part of the CAP’s Clinical Laboratory Improvement Program, or CPIP (https://capatholo.gy/32LNx80).