We keep our reports, slides and blocks for at least 10 years, sometimes
it goes longer because they do not get destroyed the date marked.  We
have ran out of room at our hospital so we know store only the past 4
years here and the rest at one of our off site locations.  We are
getting inspected by CAP in November and in April we are going to
inspect another lab.  


>>> "Bell, Lynne"  02/20 7:25 AM >>>
We keep our blocks for twenty years and all of our placenta blocks for
25
years (we file them separately).  The blocks are disposed of as
regular
trash.  We keep our wet tissue for 6 weeks after the accession date -
just
to be sure the case is signed out.  We also keep our empty spec
containers
for 2 weeks (in case of a labeling problem).  All our slides are kept
for 20
years.  It certainly amounts to a large area for storage...........By
the
way, we use "Pizza Hut" boxes to store our blocks in - we get them free
from
the local Pizza Hut and the blocks fit perfectly.  The boxes are
fairly
heavy duty cardboard and the price is certainly right!!
 
Lynne Bell
Central Vermont Hospital
Barre, VT  05641