Improved breast cytology results with near patient FNA diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of a cytopathologist using near patient fine needle aspiration diagnosis (NPFD) for breast diagnosis. STUDY DESIGN: The cytology results of all palpable solid breast lesions undergoing fine needle aspiration (FNA) during a two-year period were prospectively audited and categorized as definitely benign or malignant (definite), probably benign, indeterminate or suspicious (indefinite) or unsatisfactory. The final diagnosis (benign or malignant) was determined from a review of patients' charts and a survey of patients' family physicians. Aspirates were performed by surgical staffand reported either later (non-NPFD) or by NPFD. RESULTS: Of 720 FNAs, 230 were by NPFD and 490 by non-NPFD. NPFD was associated with a significantly greater proportion of definite reports (91.9% versus 82.4%). NPFD of discrete breast lumps was associated with higher specificity (89.1% versus 67.5%) and a lower unsatisfactory rate (9.4% versus 19.6%) than non-NPFD. NPFD did not improve the unsatisfactory rate of FNAs from diffuse breast thickenings. CONCLUSION: FNA by a dedicated specialist and immediate reporting should be an integral part of a breast diagnostic service.

A northwest collaborative practice model.

Collaborative practice between obstetrician-gynecologists and certified nurse-midwives has been successful at the Family Beginnings obstetric unit at Group Health for at least three reasons. Each provider group is able to practice independently and thus give the kind of maternity and women's health care sought by the local community. The legal framework in Washington State supports a wide range of maternity care practices and includes a reasonable provider insurance scheme. The boundaries between different groups operating within distinct scopes of practice are well-defined and communicated. This allows providers to smoothly share or transfer clients from midwife to obstetrician and back as needed in each case. The success of the Family Beginnings model is demonstrated by a favorable comparison with national and Washington State metrics of delivery outcomes. Replicating the model elsewhere depends on building support for collaborative maternity care across the obstetric and midwifery professions in states where an appropriate legal framework exists, and in institutions where policies for credentialing nurse midwives are in place. Where these supports do not exist, all practitioners jointly advocating for more enlightened approaches is recommended.

The Poor Man's Cell Block.

The authors describe a simple method for making formalin or isopropyl alcohol vapour fixed cell blocks from fine needle aspiration cytology specimens that we refer to as 'The Poor Man's Cell Block.'