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Pathologists' assistants practice: a measurement of performance
C O Galvis1, S S Raab, F D'Amico
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA 15212, USA.
American Journal of Clinical Pathology
|January 5, 2002
Summary
Pathologists' assistants (PAs) demonstrated superior lymph node retrieval and reduced tissue resubmission rates compared to pathology residents. PA gross examination performance was equivalent or superior, offering valuable insights into PA quality in surgical pathology.
Area of Science:
- Surgical Pathology
- Pathology Quality Assurance
Background:
- Pathologists' assistants (PAs) are increasingly utilized in surgical pathology.
- However, objective data on their performance quality remains limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the performance of PAs with pathology residents.
- Key metrics included lymph node retrieval and tissue resubmission rates.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of surgical pathology reports.
- Analysis of axillary dissection, mastectomy, and colorectal specimens for lymph node retrieval.
- Assessment of general surgical pathology reports for tissue resubmission rates.
Main Results:
- PAs retrieved significantly more lymph nodes than residents, with no difference in positive lymph node yield.
- Cases with PA gross examination showed significantly lower resubmission rates compared to resident-performed cases.
Conclusions:
- PA gross examination performance is equivalent or superior to that of pathology residents.
- This study provides the first objective data on PA performance quality in surgical pathology.
