title: Diagnostic electron microscopy in the U.S. Veterans Administration.
abstract: The diagnostic electron microscopy (EM) programme in the VA is described with emphasis on its central administrative aspects. There are now 45 separate diagnostic EM units, each directed by a pathologist who is initially provided with comparable resources and operates under a common administrative framework. Considerable autonomy in medical and scientific matters remains with the unit directors. Some experiences in the programme are displayed in numerical data for 1975 through 1979. Coordinated use of available EM resources for both diagnostic and research purposes is not occurring to develop better utilization. Preliminary efforts to assess the contributions of diagnostic EM in morphological diagnosis and in patient management are described.
mesh_terms: D003954:Diagnostic Services; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010336:Pathology; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs