Clinical pathology: Difference between revisions

Line 20:

::Identifying what questions needs answering

::Looking up relevant information in proper sources and/or asking proper expertise.

{{Question|title=Retention time|subsection=yes}}(You may skip this question if you don't expect to ever be part of laboratory management in the US)

You work in a pathology department in the United States, which is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP). Your local procedure manual states that non-forensic paraffin-embedded blocks must be retained for at least 10 years before being thrown away. In order to save archive space, it is suggested that the retention time is reduced to 5 years. You look up the issue, and find that the U.S. law states that such blocks must be retained for at least 2 years. Is it acceptable to reduce the retention time of non-forensic paraffin-embedded blocks to 5 years in this case?

*'''Answer''': This pathology department is accredited by CAP, whose requirements commonly exceed those of the U.S. law, in this case stating at least 10 years for non-forensic paraffin-embedded blocks, and therefore it is ''not'' acceptable to reduce the retention time as suggested.

Following are the most relevant retention times, as given by U.S. law<ref name=CLIA>{{cite web|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/42/493.1105|title=42 CFR § 493.1105 - Standard: Retention requirements.|website=Cornell Law School}} [68 FR 3703, Jan. 24, 2003; 68 FR 50723, Aug. 22, 2003]</ref> as well as by CAP<ref name=CAP>{{cite web|url=https://elss.cap.org/elss/ShowProperty?nodePath=/UCMCON/Contribution%20Folders/WebApplications/pdf/retention-laboratory-records-and-materials.pdf|title=CAP Policy Manual - Policy PP. Minimum Period of Retention of Laboratory Records and Materials|website=CAP.org}} Adopted August 1995. Revised September 2020</ref>:

{|class=wikitable

!rowspan=4| Microscopy slides

| Histology and non-forensic autopsy || 10 years<ref name=CLIA/>

|-

| Forensic autopsy || Indefinitely<ref name=CLIA/>

|-

| Cytology, fine needle aspiration || 10 years<ref name=CAP/>

|-

| Cytology, apart from fine needle aspiration || 5 years<ref name=CLIA/>

|-

!rowspan=2| Paraffin-embedded blocks

| Non-forensic || 2<ref name=CLIA/> or 10 years<ref name=CAP/>

|-

| Forensic || Indefinitely<ref name=CLIA/>

|-

!rowspan=2| Requisition form and test report

| Pathology reports || 10 years<ref name=CLIA/>

|-

| Other || 2 years<ref name=CLIA/>

|-

!rowspan=3| [[Blood bank]] records

| Quality control records || 5 years<ref name=CAP/>

|-

| Donor and recipient records || 10 years<ref name=CAP/>

|-

| Records of indefinitely deferred donors || Indefinitely<ref name=CAP/>

|-

!colspan=2| Wet tissues

| Until report is completed<ref name=CLIA/> or 2 weeks thereafter<ref name=CAP/>

|-

!colspan=2| [[Proficiency testing]] records and quality management/quality control records

| 2 years<ref name=CLIA/>

|-

!colspan=2| Discontinued procedures

| 2 years<ref name=CLIA/>

|-

!colspan=2| [[Blood smear]]s and other body fluid smears, microbiology slides (including [[Gram stain]]s)

| 7 days<ref name=CAP/>

|-

!colspan=2| [[Flow cytometry]] plots

| 10 years<ref name=CAP/>

|}

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 ::Identifying what questions needs answering
 ::Looking up relevant information in proper sources and/or asking proper expertise.
+{{Question|title=Retention time|subsection=yes}}(You may skip this question if you don't expect to ever be part of laboratory management in the US)
+You work in a pathology department in the United States, which is accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP). Your local procedure manual states that non-forensic paraffin-embedded blocks must be retained for at least 10 years before being thrown away. In order to save archive space, it is suggested that the retention time is reduced to 5 years. You look up the issue, and find that the U.S. law states that such blocks must be retained for at least 2 years. Is it acceptable to reduce the retention time of non-forensic paraffin-embedded blocks to 5 years in this case?
+*'''Answer''': This pathology department is accredited by CAP, whose requirements commonly exceed those of the U.S. law, in this case stating at least 10 years for non-forensic paraffin-embedded blocks, and therefore it is ''not'' acceptable to reduce the retention time as suggested.
+Following are the most relevant retention times, as given by U.S. law<ref name=CLIA>{{cite web|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/42/493.1105|title=42 CFR § 493.1105 - Standard: Retention requirements.|website=Cornell Law School}} [68 FR 3703, Jan. 24, 2003; 68 FR 50723, Aug. 22, 2003]</ref> as well as by CAP<ref name=CAP>{{cite web|url=https://elss.cap.org/elss/ShowProperty?nodePath=/UCMCON/Contribution%20Folders/WebApplications/pdf/retention-laboratory-records-and-materials.pdf|title=CAP Policy Manual - Policy PP. Minimum Period of Retention of Laboratory Records and Materials|website=CAP.org}} Adopted August 1995. Revised September 2020</ref>:
+{|class=wikitable
+!rowspan=4| Microscopy slides
+| Histology and non-forensic autopsy || 10 years<ref name=CLIA/>
+|-
+| Forensic autopsy || Indefinitely<ref name=CLIA/>
+|-
+| Cytology, fine needle aspiration || 10 years<ref name=CAP/>
+|-
+| Cytology, apart from fine needle aspiration || 5 years<ref name=CLIA/>
+|-
+!rowspan=2| Paraffin-embedded blocks
+| Non-forensic || 2<ref name=CLIA/> or 10 years<ref name=CAP/>
+|-
+| Forensic || Indefinitely<ref name=CLIA/>
+|-
+!rowspan=2| Requisition form and test report
+| Pathology reports || 10 years<ref name=CLIA/>
+|-
+| Other || 2 years<ref name=CLIA/>
+|-
+!rowspan=3| [[Blood bank]] records
+| Quality control records || 5 years<ref name=CAP/>
+|-
+| Donor and recipient records || 10 years<ref name=CAP/>
+|-
+| Records of indefinitely deferred donors || Indefinitely<ref name=CAP/>
+|-
+!colspan=2| Wet tissues
+| Until report is completed<ref name=CLIA/> or 2 weeks thereafter<ref name=CAP/>
+|-
+!colspan=2| [[Proficiency testing]] records and quality management/quality control records
+| 2 years<ref name=CLIA/>
+|-
+!colspan=2| Discontinued procedures
+| 2 years<ref name=CLIA/>
+|-
+!colspan=2| [[Blood smear]]s and other body fluid smears, microbiology slides (including [[Gram stain]]s)
+| 7 days<ref name=CAP/>
+|-
+!colspan=2| [[Flow cytometry]] plots
+| 10 years<ref name=CAP/>
+|}
+{{Question-end}}
 {{Bottom}}

Clinical pathology: Difference between revisions

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