Last week, I attended subspecialty talks as well as informative sessions on policies that will affect the future and practice of pathology at the 2013 ASCP Annual Meeting in Chicago. I also attended special events such as the Keynote given by Hillary Clinton, the Raible Lecture for Residents about the “Pathology of Bliss: Searching for the Happiest Place to Work,” the Training for Residents in Genomics (TRIG) workshop, multiple receptions, and the president’s black tie dinner. To top it off, I also presented during the poster session and saw old friends as well as made new ones.
But what I am struck by most about the myriad of experiences and conversations that I had last week is that as 21st Century physicians, we need to be forward thinking to contribute at a systems or global level. Sometimes, as Americans, we can be insulated and shortsighted, and as physicians we are not exempt. In the midst of talk of multiple technologies, often expensive and not available routinely at many institutions, focus on resident boards review sessions, and subspecialty relevant talks, it is easy to forget that we can transform the delivery of healthcare in this country and throughout the world not just by what we learn but also by what we do, especially in resource limited settings.
Currently, over 70% of diagnostic and treatment decisions are made based on the results of laboratory tests in this country. Much needed health reform will increase coverage for all but will also place an emphasis on outcomes based compensation. Therefore, we need to build interdisciplinary interactions between lab staff, pathologists, and other healthcare providers to work on common goals, and work together to perform the “right test, for the right person, at the right time”. We just have to work smarter, not harder. Our challenge as residents is to not bury our heads in our books or go through the motions, but to see the “bigger picture.”
-Betty Chung
Lablogatory 