Dermatopathology

Dermatopathology Turnaround Times

The Institute reports 2020 intralaboratory timeliness, or turnaround times (TAT), of more than 33,031 routine surgical pathology biopsies and external complex consultations from the time of specimen accessioning to report completion. The goal is to meet or exceed the College of American Pathologists’ recommended benchmark of 2 working days.¹ The TAT for most specimens (71%) was 1 day with a total of 90% signed out within 2 days. TATs are variable depending on case complexity, as well as other factors such as presence of a residency training program and the number of hospital beds and surgical pathologists.²

Percentage of Dermatopathology Cases Completed Within 2 days (N = 33,031)

2020

ᵃOutside surgical consultations = cases referred by Cleveland Clinic clinicians for review and expert opinion by Institute pathologists

ᵇOutside complex consultations = cases referred by other pathologists for expert opinion

ᶜOutside routine biopsies = routine cases referred by clinicians outside Cleveland Clinic

Dermatopathology Turnaround Times (N = 33,031)

2020

Evaluation of 90% of specimens in 2020 were completed within 2 days

References
  1. Association of Directors of Anatomic and Surgical Pathology, Nakhleh R, Coffin C, Cooper K. Recommendations for quality assurance and improvement in surgical and autopsy pathology. Hum Pathol. 2006 Aug;37(8):985-988.
  2. Volmar KE, Idowu MO, Souers RJ, Karcher DS, Nakleh RE. Turnaround time for large or complex specimens in surgical pathology: A College of American Pathologists Q-Probes Study of 56 Institutions. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2015 Feb;139(2):171–177.