Re: delivery of specimens

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From:Jeff Silverman <peptolab@hamptons.com> (by way of histonet)
To:histonet <histonet@magicnet.net>
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Cel,
The perennial problem, leaky containers.  We too get leaky ones everyday
and have switched vendors many times in a search for leak-proof cups.
Thankfully, 99% of the time our people either use the outside paperwork
pouch or staple the paperwork to the plastic bags.  Try using your hospital
safety committee to put pressure on the managers of the transport section
to get their employees to keep the paperwork out of the same bag
compartment as the specimen.  Its one thing to dry off a leaky container
and throw the bag out, its quite another to have to salvage saturated
request forms and recopy them, big time fumes- I've been there.

Jeff Silverman

----------
> From: Cindy Farman <cfarman@sierrabiomedical.com>
> To: 'Cel Rutledge' <gocelgo@itsa.ucsf.edu>; Histonet
<Histonet@Pathology.swmed.edu>
> Subject: RE: delivery of specimens
> Date: Thursday, December 03, 1998 2:57 PM
>
> Sounds like your specimens are delivered by those bike messengers!
>
> Cindy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Cel Rutledge [SMTP:gocelgo@itsa.ucsf.edu]
> Sent:	Thursday, December 03, 1998 10:50 AM
> To:	Histonet
> Subject:	delivery of specimens
>
>
> We have been having a problem with the condition of surgical specimens
> that are delvered to pathology.  We have a central messenger center that
> collects specimens from the clinics and surgery on a regular time
> schedule.  They pick up specimens and then deliver them to pathology.
The
> immediate problem is the careless with which they are handled.  They
> "toss" them into a plastic or paper bag and then empty them on the
> receiving desk.  To ones complete amazement-they leak. The clinics,
> surgery and messenger supervisors have been contacted, warned,
threatened,
> verbally abused, begged and pleaded with, but still no end in sight to
the
> problem.
>
> We have explained the problem with contamination, having to redo the
> paperwork, and the time consuming effort involved in  handling this
> problem, but nothing.  It is a double headed problem, but I feel that if
> the messengers would not turn them every which way then the containers
> that were not sealed correctly would not leak.
>
> The clinics are furnished bags with special pockets for paperwork on the
> outside of the bag while the specimen goes inside, unfortunately the put
> the paper inside with the leaky specimen.
>
> I would like some suggestions as to how other hospitals receive their
> specimens.  Is this common?  Or, are we just lucky?
>
>
> Cel Rutledge
> San Francisco General Hospital
>




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