Around ASCP Journals

The American Society for Clinical Pathology offers information and education that can aid your practice as pathologists or laboratory professionals. Whether you read the printed journals or get your information online, the American Journal of Clinical Pathology (AJCP) and Lab Medicine provide the latest research, reports, and studies. Here are some highlights from recent issues.

AJCP

The April issue of AJCP has an article on global efforts to increase and improve access to diagnostic pathology services. “Improving Anatomic Pathology in Sub-Saharan Africa to Support Cancer Care” by Dr. Michael Wilson and coauthors describes a study of the best approaches for training pathologists in pathologic cancer staging. “The American Society for Clinical Pathology’s 2016–2017 Vacancy Survey of Medical Laboratories in the United States” by Ms. Edna Garcia and colleagues appears in the May issue and is the biannual survey that provides laboratory administrators, hospital administrators, and human resources departments with up-to-date information regarding workforce in clinical laboratories in the US. Laboratory-developed tests pose unique challenges to regulators, insurers, and accrediting bodies. Dr. Rita D’Angelo et al, in their June article entitled “Facing the Inevitable: Being Prepared for Regulatory Requirements for Laboratory Developed Tests,” highlight how laboratories can better prepare for the eventuality of regulatory requirements. These articles and others can be accessed at academic.oup.com/ajcp as part of your ASCP membership.

Lab Medicine

In a two-part series for Lab Medicine, Dr. Fred Rodriguez et al discuss everything laboratory professionals, pathologists, and administrators need to know about disaster preparedness. In “Hurricanes: Are You Prepared?” topics include risk management, hazard assessment, and what to include in a disaster plan. “What’s a Lab to Do During and After a Hurricane?” covers everything that happens afterward: command centers, unexpected events, and recovery. You can find these papers online in the May issue of Lab Medicine.

Podcasts are a great way to keep up with current research as well as review topics, and Lab Medicine has you covered. Recent podcasts include vitamin D toxicity, coagulation testing, and hemolytic transfusion reactions. Lab Medicine podcasts can be found on the Lab Medicine website (academic.oup.com/labmed/pages/Podcasts) or iTunes (itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-lab-medicine-podcast/id1368474233?mt=2).

Lablogatory

Once a month, the blog for medical laboratory professionals features a post by Dan “The Safety Man” Scungio. Recent topics include injury reporting, specimen transport, pre-analytic concerns, and keeping staff motivated. To read these posts and more, check out labmedicineblog.com/tag/lab-safety.