We are considering a move like this as well.  It will be simpler than our present situation.  

Currently we have all of our gross done at one hospital and all histology done at the other with courier service back and forth.  It works ok.  

We have to be very careful about specimen tracking.  Slides were having a habit of disappearing for a while.  We instituted logs with each slide sent and what time it was sent.  Then when the secretaries call and say they didn't get something, we can tell them what time the slide left and what other cases went at the same time.  That takes care of most problems as the secretaries have usually just set the tray someplace out of the way and then lost it.  

We do the same sort of log with specimens.  Luckily they don't disappear like the slides seem to.  At least not yet (hope I didn't just jinx myself).

Will your pathologists be on site with your lab or back at the hospital?  It will probably need to be some combination.  With some pathologists to oversee the lab, and some at the hospital to do frozens, and deal with main lab problems.

I am interested to here more about this as one possible solution to our space problems here would be consolidation at an off site lab at a third location not at one of our hospitals.

Ross Stapf
Histology Supervisor
Washington Adventist Hospital

>>> Amy Johnson  07/18/02 01:07PM >>>
Our group is looking into the possibility of moving into larger
accommadations.  We currently are located within the hospital we provide a
service for just a few steps down the hall from the surgery area.  Our new
location would be offsite and up the road from that same hospital.  Does
anyone else have this setup and does it work?
Thanks 
Amylin Johnson
Associates in Pathology
Wausau, WI