Reflections on interpretative ‘external quality assurance’ in histopathology

Participation in interpretative external quality assurance (EQA) schemes has come to be accepted as a duty of the diagnostic histopathologist. EQA consumes significant resources and with a disciplinary component to most schemes, it is appropriate to ask if they achieve what the name offers. EQA is not an adequate model of good diagnostic practice. Diagnosis is Bayesian: probability evaluations ('priors') integrating the available information (clinical history, endoscopic appearances, imaging, biochemistry etc.) are updated by histological evidence, including consultation with colleagues, and the diagnostic histopathologist has the option of hypothesis testing.

Source: Diagnostic Histopathology - October 30, 2019 Category: Pathology Authors: James J. Going Tags: Mini-symposium: Management Source Type: research