Posted January 16, 2012

While the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Laboratory Accreditation Program requires monitoring of turnaround time for routine surgical pathology cases (ANP.12150), there is no such requirement for monitoring of selected large or complicated cases (CPT codes 88307 and 88309). The Association of Directors of Anatomic and Surgical Pathology (ADASP) recommends that acceptable turnaround time “should be determined on the basis of current literature, keeping in mind that acceptable turnaround times are also defined by the accrediting bodies. Turnaround times are variable depending on case complexity and other factors such as the presence of a residency training program. The standards may change over time with the advent of new technologies and other factors.” There is currently limited information in the literature regarding turnaround times for these large or complex specimens.

Objective

Determine the turnaround time for large or complex cases in surgical pathology.

Data Collection

Participants will review all large or complex surgical pathology cases over a period of 12 weeks or until 50 reports have been identified, whichever comes first. For each case, participants will report the CPT code (88307 or 88309), specimen type, organ system, disease category, type of special handling (if applicable), and the date of surgery, accessioning, and final sign out. Biopsy cases coded as CPT 88307 are excluded from the study.

Performance Indicators

• Primary:
• Median turnaround time for cases coded CPT 88307 and 88309
• Secondary:
• Comparison of turnaround time for different specimen types in
    various practice settings

Ship Date

March 19, 2012

Order Deadline

April 12, 2012*

*Orders must be received by the order deadline.

Related Links

• QP121 – Nursing Satisfaction with Clinical Laboratory Services
• QP123 - Frequency Monitoring of Outpatient Laboratory Testing
• QP124 - Timeliness and Accuracy of Reporting Preliminary Blood Culture Results