The CAP is urging the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to avoid using the professional name “cytologist” for cytotechnologist interchangeably when defining roles in the clinical laboratory. In a July 14 letter, the CAP urged the VA to ensure professional titles and responsibilities in laboratories are clear to avoid confusion and align with education and training.

The VA is aiming to set national standards of care for members of the Veterans Health Administration workforce. These standards of care would establish clear and precise job descriptions which would allow for an individual employed in a given role in a VA health system to practice their profession at any facility within the VA system, regardless of the state licensure requirements.

Recently, the Department of Veterans Affairs published a request for information regarding cytotechnologists standard of practice and histotechnologists standard of practice. In response to the Department’s Request for Information. The CAP and the VA have opposing views on language, nomenclature and job descriptions pertaining to these two roles in the clinical laboratory. As a result, the CAP sent letters urging the VA to begin the process with clear and accurate names for the clinical laboratory workforce positions to which the standards of care will apply.

The CAP does not agree with VA that there is interchangeability between the term’s “cytotechnologist” and “cytologist.” The CAP said that to avoid confusion over professional licensing, scope of practice and assigned work between these two professions, a clear delineation of professional nomenclature should be maintained to avoid jeopardizing patient outcomes. This will also protect the clear distinction between education, training, and job responsibilities between the two professions.

The CAP has outlined to the VA that the correct nomenclature for a specialized medical laboratory technician who studies tissue samples is a histotechnologist. The VA used incorrect terminology referring to a histotechnologist as a histopathologist throughout the proposal. There is no non-physician profession categorized or referred to as “Histopathologist” in existence. The CAP further clarified that pathologists should always have direct supervision of histotechnologists in clinical laboratories and pertinent activities. As direct supervisors for histotechnologists, pathologists should retain full, unfettered authority to qualify clinical laboratory personnel as meeting personnel qualifications for histotechnologists.

The CAP requested that the VA use the accurate nomenclature for the roles in the laboratory workforce. Clarity in language pertaining to the variety of roles in the clinical laboratory is important as it potentially impacts government regulations, health care policy, as well as patients.

Read the CAP’s letters to the VA regarding cytotechnologists standard of practice and histotechologist standard of practice.