apology
ruth ann croson lowney (rcroson@nybc.org)
Fri, 23 May 1997 15:43:00 -0400
>Date: Thu, 22 May 1997 11:42:47 -0400
>To: Mrloken@AOL.COM
>From: Ruth Croson-Lowney <rcroson@server.nybc.org>
>Subject: apology
>Cc:
>Bcc:
>X-Attachments:
>
>Re: Michael R. Loken, Ph.D.
> Denise A. Wells, M.D.-apology
>
>Having worked in both a clinical and research flow lab, I still take
>offense to the "apology" expressed by these 2 individuals.
>
>When I worked in a hospital clinical flow lab, the staff went through a
>rigorous training period to ensure adherence to protocol and continuity of
>results generated by the lab. Before any tests were performed on a
>specimen, a discussion with the lab director (an M.D.) was mandatory. It
>was the director who indicated which markers to use based on information
>given by the requesting physician. All tissue specimens were also sent to
>pathology for their evaluation, thereby ensuring an extensive as possible
>information profile to aid the doctor in determining a diagnosis and
>treatment plan.
>
>Results from our lab were checked by the lab supervisor, who reviewed all
>printouts, and the lab director, who also reviewed all the printouts. If
>any question arose concerning staining pattern and/or reagent use , it was
>challenged at any of these steps.
>
>I would also like to know how you arrived at your assessment of
>misdiagnosis by flow being 10-15%.
>
>We found often, that the doctors did not understand the tests they were
>requesting and often tried to get the technicians to form a dignosis for
>them.
>
>While I understand that this was only one institution, one would hope that
>any licensed lab would follow a similar procedure. It is also necessary
>to have standard flow courses, to continually educate and examine
>protocols and analyses of differnet tissues. But to assess blame in one
>area for misdiagnosis is extremely high-handed and arrogant.
>
>
*******************************************************************
Ruth A. Croson-Lowney
Supervisor, Flow Cytometry
New York Blood Center
310 East 67th Street
New York, NY 10021
(212) 570-3341
rcroson@nybc.org