Inside the Lab

Autopsies allow the dead to teach the living, and the information gathered by forensic pathologists is crucial in helping us understand what COVID-19 does to the body and improve patient care moving forward. So, what challenges have forensic pathologists and patient advocates faced through the pandemic? 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, moderators Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Ms. Lisbeth Harcourt, LMSW, Program Manager of Decedent Affairs at Michigan Medicine, Dr. Brandi McCleskey, MD, Assistant Professor in the Division of Forensics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Department of Pathology, Dr. Paul Benson, MD, Associate Professor of Anatomic Pathology and Autopsy Section Head at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Dr. Allecia M. Wilson, MD, Director of Autopsy and Forensic Services at the University of Michigan and Chief Medical Examiner of Washtenaw and Livingston Counties, to explore how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the work of forensic pathologists and medical social workers. 

The panelists explain how COVID has affected end-of-life care and bereavement services, sharing what their teams are doing to support the families of decedents and how the virus highlights the importance of forensic pathologists as an integral part of the healthcare team. Listen in to understand what precautions our panelists have taken to keep their staff members safe in this challenging time and learn how forensic pathologists are using their autopsy findings to serve the living. 

Key Takeaways 

· How the coronavirus has affected forensic pathology resources and caseloads
· How COVID has impacted end-of-life care and bereavement services
· How the coronavirus has changed processes in forensic pathology offices for the better
· The challenges of transitioning to a COVID-capable autopsy service and the precautions to keep staff members safe
· How the pandemic has blurred the lines between work and home life for forensic pathologists and medical social workers
· What has been learned about COVID from autopsy findings and how those observations can be used to help the living
· What the future of forensic pathology looks like and opportunities for autopsy research collaborations 

Connect with ASCP 

ASCP
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Connect with Ms. Harcourt 

Ms. Harcourt at Michigan Medicine
Ms. Harcourt on LinkedIn 

Connect with Dr. McCleskey 

Dr. McCleskey at UAB
Dr. McCleskey on Twitter 

Connect with Dr. Benson 

Dr. Benson at UAB 

Connect with Dr. Wilson 

Dr. Wilson at the University of Michigan
Dr. Wilson on LinkedIn 

Connect with Dr. Mulder & Ms. Swails 

Dr. Mulder on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter 

For pathologists and laboratory professionals in academia, publishing research in peer-reviewed literature is critical to success. And beyond that, there is a sense of fulfillment that comes from contributing to scientific knowledge and furthering the progress of society.  

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Dr. Steven Kroft, MD, MASCP, Editor in Chief of the American Journal of Clinical Pathology, Dr. Roger Bertholf, PhD, DABCC, FAACC, Medical Director of Clinical Chemistry at Houston Methodist Hospital and Editor in Chief of Laboratory Medicine, and Dr. Sanjay Mukhopadyay, MD, Director of Pulmonary Pathology at the Cleveland Clinic and Associate Editor of the American Journal of Clinical Pathology, to explain why research and publication are important to a career in laboratory medicine. 

The panelists weigh in on the peer review process, describing what it is, how it works, why it’s important—and how it’s been fast-tracked in the season of COVID. Listen in for insight on sharing research findings on social media and learn how to maximize your chances of getting published in a scientific journal. 

Key Takeaways 

·       The importance of research to an academic career in laboratory medicine and how publication serves as a form of scientific communication
·       Separating scientific literature from unvetted information
·       What the peer review process looks like and how it improves healthcare practice and delivery
·       The editor’s responsibility and limitations for a publication’s integrity
·       The disadvantages of the peer review process
·       Sharing research findings on social media, and informal post-publication reviews
·       The increase in submissions to scientific journals during the pandemic, and how editors are responding
·       How to maximize your chances of getting published 

Connect with ASCP 

ASCP
ASCP on Facebook
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ASCP on Twitter 

Connect with Dr. Kroft 

American Journal of Clinical Pathology
Dr. Kroft on Twitter 

Connect with Dr. Bertholf 

Laboratory Medicine
Dr. Bertholf at Houston Methodist
Dr. Bertholf on Twitter 

Connect with Dr. Mukhopadhyay

American Journal of Clinical Pathology
Dr. Mukhopadhyay at the Cleveland Clinic
Dr. Mukhopadhyay on Twitter 

Connect with Dr. Mulder & Ms. Swails

Dr. Mulder on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter 

Laboratory professionals are working harder than ever to get test results out as quickly as possible. But no one was prepared for COVID-19, and at the start of the pandemic turnaround times were much longer than hoped for. What challenges did clinical laboratories face early on in the pandemic? What bottlenecks continue to hinder turnaround times? And what issues might we face moving forward? 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Ms. Diana Kremitske, MHA, MS, MT(ASCP), Vice President of the Diagnostic Medicine Institute at Geisinger Medical Labs, Dr. Nicholas Moore, PhD, MLS(ASCP)CM, Assistant Director of Clinical Microbiology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and Dr. Karissa Culbreath, PhD, D(ABMM), Medical Director of Infectious Diseases at TriCore Reference Laboratories and Associate Professor of Pathology at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, to discuss laboratory turnaround times during COVID-19. 

The panelists share the challenges they have faced in getting results back to clinicians and patients in a timely manner and describe what they are doing to set stakeholders’ expectations for turnaround times. Listen in to better understand the concerns our panelists have around the upcoming respiratory virus season and learn about the innovative strategies laboratory professionals are using to increase testing capacity, establish testing priorities and optimize turnaround times in the season of coronavirus.

Key Takeaways 

· How panelists have expanded the number of testing platforms, redeployed staff from other areas and added second and third shifts to improve turnaround times
· Challenges around coordinating courier support and securing adequate supplies for specimen collection
· The pre- and post-analytical considerations impacting a lab’s ability to expedite COVID-19 test results
· How the pandemic has opened the door for laboratory advocacy and why it’s important that the lab keeps a seat at the table once the current crisis is over
· Strategies to set expectations around turnaround times for COVID-19
· Concerns around the upcoming respiratory virus season
· Responses to high-profile criticisms of testing turnaround times on social media and what factors are out of the lab’s control

Connect with ASCP 

ASCP
ASCP on Facebook
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ASCP on Twitter 

Connect with Ms. Kremitske

Ms. Kremitske at Geisinger Medical Labs
Ms. Kremitske on LinkedIn

Connect with Dr. Moore

Dr. Moore at Rush University
Dr. Moore on Twitter 

Connect with Dr. Culbreath

Dr. Culbreath at the University of New Mexico
Dr. Culbreath on Twitter 

Connect with Dr. Mulder & Ms. Swails

Dr. Mulder on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter

Resources 

Inside the Lab in the ASCP Store

Do you overreact to little annoyances? Do you feel tired all the time? Worse yet, do you feel apathetic toward the work you used to love? Or like you’ve lost your purpose? If so, what you’re experiencing goes beyond the usual stress associated with working in the lab. What you’re feeling is full-fledged burnout. 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, Ms. Kelly Swails is joined by panelists Dr. Ali Brown, MD, FASCP, Chief Officer of Medical Quality at ASCP, Dr. Lotte Mulder, PhD, Director of Leadership and Empowerment at ASCP, and Dr. Joe Sirintrapun, MD, Director of Pathology Informatics at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, to discuss the behavioral, mental, and physical signs of burnout they recognized in themselves and what they did to overcome it.

The panelists explore why burnout has gotten more media coverage in recent years and how the coronavirus pandemic is likely to increase burnout among pathologists and lab professionals. Listen in for insight on the role technology plays in contributing to burnout in the healthcare space and learn what leaders can do to prevent burnout and create an organizational culture that values wellbeing. 

Key Takeaways 

·       The distinction between stress and burnout
·       How changing attitudes toward work-life balance have increased media coverage of burnout in recent years
·       How a loss of autonomy and the high-stakes nature of medical laboratory work has led to an increase of burnout among lab professionals
·       How technology contributes to burnout among healthcare professionals
·       The behavioral, mental and physical signs of burnout
·       How the uncertainties around COVID-19 are likely contributing to or accelerating burnout we won’t see the true impact until the pandemic is over
·       How to deal with burnout
·       What leaders can do to prevent burnout and help their team members overcome it
·       How organizational culture contributes to burnout, and why prioritizing wellbeing over productivity metrics is critical  

Connect with ASCP 

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Connect with Dr. Brown 

Dr. Brown on LinkedIn
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Connect with Dr. Sirintrapun

Association for Pathology Informatics
Dr. Sirinatrapun at Sloan Kettering
Dr. Sirinatrapun on Twitter

Connect with Dr. Mulder

Dr. Mulder at ASCP
Dr. Mulder on Twitter

Connect with Ms. Swails

Ms. Swails on Twitter

Resources

ASCP Store

Many teachers and students have been hesitant to embrace online learning, but the Coronavirus pandemic has left little choice but to do so. So, what does teaching pathology and laboratory medicine look like in a virtual setting?  

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Dr. Sara E. Wobker, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Departments of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Urology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Dr. Natalie Banet, MD, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and Dr. Richard Davis, PhD, D(ABMM), MLS(ASCP)CM, Regional Director of Microbiology for Providence Health Care in Eastern Washington, to discuss online teaching and learning in the age of COVID-19. 

The panelists explain how the landscape of virtual education has changed in light of the pandemic and describe how teaching pathology and laboratory medicine online differs from other subject areas. Listen in for insight on promoting equity and inclusion in a virtual setting, overcoming the limitations of remote learning, and avoiding the pitfalls associated with creating educational resources online. 

Key Takeaways 

·       Past vs present online learning
·       How the landscape of online learning has changed in light of the pandemic
·       How teaching pathology online differs from other subject areas, and which aspects of laboratory medicine are particularly difficult to teach virtually
·       How to promote diversity and inclusion in online learning
·       How to address the needs of ESL, hearing impaired and neurodivergent students in a virtual setting
·       Predictions around the future of remote learning 

Connect with ASCP 

ASCP
ASCP on Facebook
ASCP on Instagram
ASCP on Twitter
ASCP 2020 Virtual 

Connect with Dr. Wobker 

Dr. Wobker at UNC School of Medicine
Virtual Pathology Grand Rounds
Dr. Wobker on Twitter 

Connect with Dr. Banet 

Dr. Banet at Brown University
Dr. Banet’s Website
Dr. Banet on YouTube
Dr. Banet on Twitter
Deeper Levels Podcast 

Connect with Dr. Davis 

Providence Health Care
Dr. Davis on Twitter
Dr. Davis’ Viral Mask Tweet

Connect with Dr. Mulder & Ms. Swails 

Dr. Mulder on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter

Most of the media surrounding COVID-19 addresses how large hospitals in urban areas are navigating the crisis. But what challenges do small, independent facilities face? And how is the virus affecting the community MLS programs responsible for training the next generation of laboratory professionals? 

On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Dr. Dana Altenburger, MD, FASCP, Medical Director of the laboratory at Carle BroMenn Medical Center, and Ms. Terese Abreu, MLS (ASCP)CM, Assistant Professor of Biological Science and Director of the Medical Laboratory Science Program at Heritage University, to explore the unique challenges community hospitals and MLS programs are facing in the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The panelists weigh in on turnaround times for COVID results, budgetary concerns caused by the virus, and staffing shortages labs are likely to face in the aftermath of the pandemic. Listen in for insight into how the virus has affected student training and the potential long-term implications of COVID-19 for healthcare workers in community hospitals and MLS programs. 

Key Takeaways 

·The unique challenges community hospitals and labs face during the COVID-19 pandemic
· When to test in-house for COVID, vs when to send out 
· How COVID-19 is affecting student training and how MLS students are being included during the crisis
· How the coronavirus has impacted the morale of students and staff 
· The staffing shortages labs are likely to face in the aftermath of COVID-19
· Challenges the coronavirus presents in the migrant communities
· Navigating budgetary concerns caused by COVID-19
· What support community hospitals and MLS programs need moving forward
· Insight on the potential long-term implications of COVID-19

Connect with ASCP 

ASCP
ASCP on Facebook
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ASCP on Twitter

Connect with Dr. Altenburger 

Carle BroMenn Medical Center
Dr. Altenburger on WebMD 

Connect with Ms. Abreu

Heritage University’s MLS Program
Ms. Abreu at Heritage University 

Connect with Dr. Mulder & Ms. Swails

Dr. Mulder on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter

A July study found that for every 10,000 people, 23 white people contract COVID-19 compared to 62 Black and 73 Latinx people. And according to the COVID Racial Data Tracker, minority populations have a much higher mortality rate than that of whites: For every 100K people, 74 Black Americans, 40 American Indian or Alaskan Natives and 40 Hispanic or Latino people die from the virus—compared to 30 whites. Why are minority communities disproportionately affected by the coronavirus? And what can we do as lab professionals to address these disparities? 

On this inaugural episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by  Dr. Von Samedi, MD, PhD, FASCP, Associate Professor of Pathology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Dr. Valerie Fitzhugh MD, FASCP Associate Professor and Interim Chair of the Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine at Rutgers University’s New Jersey Medical School, and Mr. Aaron Odegard, MS, MLS (ASCP) SMCM, Medical Technologist in the Infectious Diagnostic Laboratories at Baptist Health Jacksonville, to explore the disparities in COVID-19 cases among minority populations. 

The panelists explain why minority populations are more vulnerable to the coronavirus and how the pandemic is both exposing and exacerbating the disparities in our healthcare system. Listen in for insight around the pathology and laboratory community’s responsibility to speak up and serve as an agent for change and learn what we can do to combat the disparities and create a more inclusive environment for underserved patients. 

Key Takeaways

• How Black, Latinx and other minority populations bear a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 cases and experience a much higher mortality rate than their white counterparts
• Why minority communities are more vulnerable to the coronavirus than the general population
• How the pandemic is both exposing the existing disparities in healthcare and further expanding the incongruities in patient care
• The pathology and laboratory community’s responsibility to educate the community and serve as an agent for change

Connect with ASCP

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Connect with Dr. Samedi

Dr. Samedi at the University of Colorado
Dr. Samedi on Twitter 

Connect with Dr. Fitzhugh 

Dr. Fitzhugh at Rutgers
Dr. Fitzhugh on Twitter
Connect with Mr. Odegard

Mr. Odegard on LinkedIn
Mr. Odegard on Twitter

Connect with Dr. Mulder & Ms. Swails

Dr. Mulder on Twitter
Ms. Swails on Twitter