Tissue contamination in the anatomic pathology lab has long been accepted as a part of the working environment. While laboratories strive to reduce contamination as much as possible, it has been viewed more as an inconvenience than as a serious issue.

But that view is changing. As this white paper demonstrates, the risk of misinterpretation may be greater than most pathologists currently realize, especially in certain tissue types. Also, this paper illuminates a source of significant contamination that has largely been overlooked—staining baths.

Patient safety demands that laboratories take every precaution against misinterpretation. But even in instances where the risk of misinterpretation is unlikely, loss of productivity as a result of contamination is a serious issue.

As the author of this white paper notes, determining if an artifact on a slide is a contaminant or patient tissue can require minutes, or even hours, of extra time in analysis. With a critical shortage of pathologists, productivity is an issue that laboratories cannot ignore.  With the average age of pathologists over 50, this shortage will grow more critical as baby boomers retire.

The Dark Report is happy to offer our readers a chance to download our recently published FREE White Paper “Risk of Misdiagnosis Due to Tissue Contamination May be Higher for Certain Specimen Types: Changes to Laboratory Staining Techniques Offer Opportunity to Reduce Contamination Events” at absolutely no charge. This free download will provide readers with a detailed overview of current legal challenges that your lab may encounter in the near future.

Here is just some of what you will take away…

1. The three main specimen types that are considered high-risk for misdiagnosis.
2. The most important factors enabling a pathologist to recognize contamination.
3. Some ways to avoid contamination during the staining process.
4. For more about changes to laboratory staining techniques, please CLICK HERE

Table of Contents

Disclosure — Page 2

Preface — Page 4

Chapter 1. Background — Page 5

Chapter 2. Sources of Contamination of Patient Slides — Page 6

Chapter 3. Specimen Types With Additional Risk — Page 8

Chapter 4. Elevated Risks for Specialty Labs — Page 15

Chapter 5. Cost of Contamination — Page 16

Chapter 6. Protecting Against Contamination — Page 18

Chapter 7. Conclusion— Page 20

References — Page 21

Appendices

A-1 About John B. Carpenter, M.D. — Page 23
A-2 About Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.— Page 24
A-3 About DARK DAILY— Page 25
A-4 About The Dark Intelligence Group, Inc., and The Dark Report— Page 26
A-5 About Executive War College on Laboratory and Pathology Management— Page 27
A-6 About Karen Branz— Page 29

Terms of Use — Page 32