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Objective: The ISO 17020 quality program has been run in our pathology laboratory for four years to establish an action plan for correction and prevention of identified errors. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the errors that we could not identify through ISO 17020 and/or solve by means of process consulting. Process consulting is carefully intervening in a group or team to help it to accomplish its goals. Material and Method: The A3 problem solving process was run under the leadership of a 'workflow, IT and consultancy manager'. An action team was established consisting of technical staff. A root cause analysis was applied for target conditions, and the 6-S method was implemented for solution proposals. Applicable proposals were activated and the results were rated by six-sigma analysis. Non-applicable proposals were reported to the laboratory administrator. Results: A mislabelling error was the most complained issue triggering all pre-analytical errors. There were 21 non-value added steps grouped in 8 main targets on the fish bone graphic (transporting, recording, moving, individual, waiting, over-processing, over-transaction and errors). Unnecessary redundant requests, missing slides, archiving issues, redundant activities, and mislabelling errors were proposed to be solved by improving visibility and fixing spaghetti problems. Spatial re-organization, organizational marking, re-defining some operations, and labeling activities raised the six sigma score from 24% to 68% for all phases. Operational transactions such as implementation of a pathology laboratory system was suggested for long-term improvement. Conclusion: Laboratory management is a complex process. Quality control is an effective method to improve productivity. Systematic checking in a quality program may not always find and/or solve the problems. External observation may reveal crucial indicators about the system failures providing very simple solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intraductal carcinoma of prostate has been previously described in radical prostatectomies. It’s rarely encountered in needle biopsies in the absence of infiltrative carcinoma. But, both histogenesis and nomenclature of the lesion is still controversial. Among the pure intraductal carcinoma of prostate cases, a different solid patern was described with smaller nuclei at the center of the ducts. However, there is a lack of information about the association of those cases with acinar prostate adenocarcinoma. Herein, we describe a case of acinar adenocarcinoma with predominant non-neuroendocrine TTF-1 positive small cell intraductal component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Pathology education includes an important visual part supporting a wide range of theoretical knowledge. However, the use of traditional microscopes in pathology education has declined over the last decade and there is a lack of interest for microscopy. Virtual microscopy, which was first described in 1985 and has experienced a revolution since 2000, is an alternative technique to conventional microscopy, in which microscopic slides are scanned to form digital images and stored in the web. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of virtual microscopy in practical pathology sessions and its effects on our students and undergraduate education at our faculty. Material and Method: Second and third year medical students who were used to conventional microscopes were included in the study. The practical sessions were carried out via virtual slides and the effect of the new technique was investigated by a scale at the end of each session. Academic staff from the pathology department joined sessions to promote discussion and respond to questions. Student ratings were analysed statistically. Results: The evaluation of the ratings showed that the students were easily adapted to the use of virtual microscopy. They found it user-friendly and thought that the opportunity of viewing slides at home was advantageous. Collaboration between students and interactive discussions was also improved with this technique. Conclusion: It was concluded that the use of virtual microscopy could contribute to the pathology education of our students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Pathology is the property of Turkish Journal of Pathology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Pathology is the property of Turkish Journal of Pathology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Pathology is the property of Turkish Journal of Pathology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: Efficiency criteria and automation in pathology laboratories have been set in a limited number of studies usually originated from the United States. A questionnaire has been prepared to determine the situation and define the criteria for adaptation in our country. Material and Method: The survey was sent to all pathology laboratories and, 302 responded. The survey questionned of pathology laboratories efficiencies, staff workloads, methods applied, devices used, and physical conditions. Work flow productivity was obtained by dividing the annual number of blocks to working hours multiplied by the number of technicians. The hospitals were categorized to 3 groups according to providing training or not and privacy, and to 4 groups according to the annual biopsy numbers. The data entered through the SPSS 16.0 statistical package program, analysis of distribution criteria, significance of the difference between means tests were used. Results: The annual biopsy numbers were significantly higher in education units, but below the limit of productivity levels for all laboratories. The device hardware and automation correlated with annual biopsy numbers. However, the laboratories of limited capacity have redundant automation. Histochemical and immunohistochemical staining numbers were high. Liquid-based cytology techniques were used more significantly in private hospitals. Archiving times were not standard. A serious shortage of working space in service hospitals was noted. Work flow productivity in education units was at the border, and low in other units. Conclusion: All pathology laboratories in our country should define and improve their productivities. Formalizing of archiving times is very important for future malpractice lawsuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Pathology is the property of Turkish Journal of Pathology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Pathology is the property of Turkish Journal of Pathology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The author reflects on the progress of the "Turkish Journal of Pathology." The author states that the journal had been indexed by the National Library of Medicine through its PubMed from its first issue in 2011. The author mentions that the impact of the journal has been outside the borders of the Turkish Republic in which many articles had been submitted from the neighboring countries.