For any DOD/VA and civilian pathologists - in the seemingly impossible way that any of this was lost in my recent post about the AFIP closing -- AFIP is closed for CIVILIAN contributors ONLY.  

The staff they do not have because they are at Inova Hospital is open for civilian contributors if there is a particular consultant you sent to when he or she was at AFIP.  

Fortunately for those of us who received the e-mail I gather Inova Pathology Institute is not marketing to MILITARY pathologists.

So, AFIP IS STILL OPEN IF AND ONLY IF YOU ARE NOT A NON-FEDERAL CIVILIAN CONTRIBUTOR AND YOU ARE SUBMITTING FROM ANY AND ALL FEDERAL AGENCIES (I think this is what was meant by DOD, VA, etc...)

Makes me wonder what other federal agencies employ pathologists; Homeland security? TSA? Department of Education? I suppose NTSB?  IRS?  

Glad that was clarified.  

Do not worry, the JPC will offer its services beginning April 2011 to civilians again, right?

Did I mention lack of leadership and direction in my prior post?  

TO ALL FEDERAL AGENCY PATHOLOGISTS INCLUDING ALL VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION AND MILITARY PATHOLOGISTS:

As The Director of The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), I am obligated to point out that a recent email communication from the Medical Director of the Inova Pathology Institute on October 4, 2011 and the follow-up email on October 11, 2011, contain a number of serious factual errors about the AFIP.   I was made aware that these factual errors are already causing confusion among Federal pathologists and this confusion is having an impact on patient care.

Therefore, I must immediately provide corrective information and assure you that the AFIP IS STILL OPEN and the AFIP IS PROVIDING CONSULTATION SERVICES for ALL FEDERAL AGENCIES (DoD, VA, etc).

As part of the AFIP's phased BRAC process which will occur over the next year, the AFIP discontinued all Non-Federal civilian consultation services on September 30, 2010.  This discontinuance has no effect on the AFIP's consultation services for Federal agencies including the VA, DoD and other Federal agencies.

The attached AFIP Summer 2010 Newsletter as well as the attached July 2010 AFIP message from my office should provide you with correct information about the AFIP. [Provided here]

The AFIP will continue to provide ALL Federal civilian and military consultation services through April 2011 at which time the AFIP will officially begin the transition of its Federal pathology consultation services to its statutorily designated Department of Defense (DoD) successor organization, the Joint Pathology Center (JPC) (National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-181), Section 722), which will be located in the Fort Detrick Forest Glen Annex in Silver Spring, MD (formerly known as the Walter Reed Annex in Silver Spring, MD).  The AFIP's pathologists and its consultation, education, research and tissue repository functions will transition to the JPC.

As the AFIP's transition process with its successor organization JPC draws closer, pertinent information will be made available to you so you will be able to transition your consultation request over to the JPC.

Between now and April 2011, the AFIP will be providing its full support and expertise to assist in the establishment of the JPC.  In April 2011 the majority of AFIP pathologists and consultation staff will transition over to the JPC.  The remaining AFIP pathologists and staff designated to transition to the JPC will continue the transition process to the JPC throughout the Summer of 2011.

On September 15, 2011, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology will disestablish pursuant to BRAC law and complete the process of transitioning the nearly 150-year-old AFIP legacy of excellence in consultation, education, research and its AFIP National Tissue Repository to the new DoD Joint Pathology Center.

Please forward this email and the attachment to your pathologist and laboratory colleagues.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate contact my office for clarification.

Sincerely,

Florabel G. Mullick, M.D., Sc.D, FCAP

Senior Executive Service

The Director, AFIP

14th. Street & Alaska Ave., N.W.

Bldg. 54, Room N-1612

Washington, DC 20306-6000

mullick@afip.osd.mil

Tel. 202-782-2503

Fax 202-782-7166