With regard to the cost of automation vs. a tech......
	The instrument is not intended (at least in my lab) to replace a
tech but to assist them.  We have 3 full time people (including myself).  As
our workload increases and I am spending less time at the bench, we need to
free up people for other things.  As for the cost, the purchase is a
one-time expenditure not counting expendables.  Hopefully, if you've got a
good tech, you'd like to keep them for a number of years, pay them that
$30,000 plus raises and benefits.  Seems like a pretty fair trade-off to me,
more time, more work, more efficiently and increased revenue.

	Tom Mc Nemar
	Pathology Supervisor
	Licking Memorial Hospital
	Newark, Ohio


> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Nails, Felton L. [SMTP:flnails@TexasChildrensHospital.org]
> Sent:	Thursday, March 16, 2000 9:04 AM
> To:	'Mary Stevens'; TMcNemar@lmhealth.org; smeloan@mail.mcg.edu;
> histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject:	RE: Automation of special stains
> 
> I have demoed the Nexus and the biogenex and will soon demo the cytologics
> machine.
> I have found that the kits are very expensive and the nexus can only do 20
> slides at a time plus they didn't have kits for all the stains that we
> perform here, so therefore it wouldn't free up a tech.
> I am at a lose at how people in histoland are justifying purchasing a 50
> thousand dollar machine in place of a 30 thousand dollar tech.
> automation would be a great debate topic.
> 
> Felton L. Nails 
> Anatomical Pathology Manager
> Texas Children's Hosp.
> 713-770-1248
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:	Mary Stevens [SMTP:mstevens@genetics.com]
> > Sent:	Wednesday, March 15, 2000 2:35 PM
> > To:	TMcNemar@lmhealth.org; smeloan@mail.mcg.edu;
> > histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> > Subject:	Re: Automation of special stains
> > 
> > We're currently demo-ing (is that a word? it is now....) auto stainers
> for
> > special stain purposes.  We typically perform the Goldner's trichrome,
> and
> > VonKossa.  And will also incorporate any H&E's and the Saf O eventually.
> > We typically run large batches of Sp. stains, so my comments are for
> batch
> > stainers only.
> > 
> > so far we've tested the Leica, we liked it.  Also have the Shandon and
> > Sakura  to evaluate. In my opinion, they will all perform what we need
> > them to do - I already checked them out at NSH.  they are easy to
> program
> > and run, will do large numbers of slides and at least 2 different
> special
> > stains will fit the number of baskets each has.  We could probably run 3
> > sp stains if needed.  Each runs multiple stains and baskets at the same
> > time. 
> > 
> > Good luck.
> > Mary 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > >>> Susan Meloan <smeloan@mail.mcg.edu> - 3/15/2000 10:24 AM >>>
> > Last summer we had a demo machine- Ventana Nexus.  I was very skepital
> > when I agreed to demo it, but was very surprised at the consistent
> results
> > and ease of use.  I hated to lose the machine when it came time to give
> it
> > up.   The hospital did not budget for the machine, but all in all it was
> a
> > very good asset  while in the lab, and would certainly have automated
> many
> > routine stains, allowing more work per technician.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Susan Meloan
> > Chief Histotechnologist
> > Department of Pathology
> > Medical College of Georgia
> > Augusta, Ga 30912
> > (706) 721-3630
> > e-mail: smeloan@mail.mcg.edu
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > >>> "Tom T. McNemar" <TMcNemar@lmhealth.org> 03/15 7:36 AM >>>
> > Hello everyone!  Does anybody have any experience with using automation
> to
> > perform stains like Trichrome, Alcian-Blue Pas, Grocott's Methenamine
> > Silver, etc.?  I would appreciate any input you may have.
> > 
> > Tom
> > Licking Memorial Hospital
> > Newark, Ohio
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >