CRINGE!  That says it in a nutshell.  The technical community in histo
whether it be Mohs or standard histotechniques need to stand up and shout-no
more of this!!!  It's amazing when you here these stories about everyone and
their brother doing "Mohs" and calling it that no matter how poor the
technique.  There ought to be a law.....  Too bad your first experience was
so bad.  It is not all like that and not all doctors who say they are doing
mohs know what they are talking about.  I have heard more than one horror
story-i.e. frozen sections transported from one floor to another, no idea
how to orient, map or stain much less embedd the darn things.  Histo schools
need to do those of us if the field a favor-spend some time in a the
presence of an authentic Mohs surgeon and OR team and see how it is done for
real then teach the kids this before they come out thinking they can do it
any old way.  Yes, Virginia there is a santa claus and his name is Dr.
Frederick Mohs.

Samuria pathologist-picture this-a lab, state of the art devoted solely to a
Mohs private practice, standard H&E set up(manual staining) and 1% Toluidine
Blue on an automatic Linistat mini stainer, a dedicated grossing area with
extras lights, all instruments or equipment one could need, a surgeon who
orients and maps each piece of tissue each step of the way and communicate
any discrepancies to his Mohs histotech, a maintained used and new cyrostats
(2 used to be 1) in the room and next door, -25 degrees, monitored daily, OR
team waiting to help surgeon after each specimen is done.  Map for patient
brought into the OR and used to guide the surgeon each step of the way until
the patient is clear of all cancer cells.  Unusual or hard to dx cases are
sent out for paraffin processing to board certified dermpathologists at a
local hospital.  Also, staff at this facility have input into how things are
done, monthly staff mtgs, etc,.etc.  Oh forgot to mention a trained
tech-done by the surgeon -embedding, etc.  Every Mohs related technique is
covered before the tech is left to solo.  That's what I work in each day.
It is possible to do this well and avoid all liability.  It is not regulated
and it should be.  Not every surgeon sknows what they are doing unless they
went through specific Mohs training-a one year long fellowship-not a 2-3 day
workshop nor a week long one. To all the techs out there-do not work for
someone who is not certified in Mohs surgery.  It is not doing the field any
good nor the patients.

Sue Becker, HTL
Albany, NY 12203
----- Original Message -----
From: "HistoNet Server" <histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
To: "HistoNet Server" <histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2000 3:10 AM
Subject: Daily Digest


>