Green DM, Boivin ME, Everts RM, Proskovec RE, Yaman LM, Dunn DR, Hallberg-Wallace KM, Bissell CE, Marotti JD. Implementation and assessment of a telecytology quality assurance program.
J Am Soc Cytopathol 2020;
10:239-245. [PMID:
33189637 DOI:
10.1016/j.jasc.2020.10.005]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
The College of American Pathologists mandates that telepathology services are included in laboratory quality management programs. The aim of this study was to assess a telecytology quality assurance (QA) process that we implemented in 2015.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Each month, a cytotechnologist randomly selected 3 telecytology fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cases from each cytopathologist on the FNA service that month. Data were recorded in a monthly worksheet and included onsite telecytology adequacy, final adequacy, concordance, onsite operator, cytopathologist, and reason for discrepancy, if present. The worksheet was reviewed monthly, discordant cases were re-examined, and feedback to cytologists was provided. For this study, worksheets from October 2015 to December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed.
RESULTS
The QA program captured 488 cases, representing 25% of total cases that utilized telecytology during the evaluation period (n = 1983). The telecytology onsite assessment was concordant with the final cytologic assessment in 84% (410 of 488) of cases. The majority of discordant cases (72 of 78, 92%) were the result of an "Inadequate" onsite telecytology assessment, but a final diagnosis was able to be rendered; 92% of these cases were attributed to diagnostic material being present in cytologic preparations not available during the onsite assessment. Nine telecytology onsite interpretation errors were identified, of which 7 were provided by cytopathologists with less than 2 years of experience.
CONCLUSIONS
Most telecytology cases with onsite assessment errors were evaluated by cytopathologists with less than 2 years of practice experience; therefore, careful monitoring of new staff should be considered when developing a telecytology QA program.
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