Quality improvement in cytology: where do we go from here?
BACKGROUND
Cytology is a success because of the many quality controls used to ensure the accuracy of its results. Nevertheless, additional information is becoming available to the cytologist, often from untraditional sources, and the best way to use that information to improve the quality of cytology is not yet known.


OBJECTIVE
To review ways to use new information to improve the quality of cytology.


METHODS
Review of relevant literature.


RESULTS
Information contained in many sources can be used in new ways to improve the quality of cytology. These include the timing of cytologic and histologic correlation, electronic medical records, workload information, prior aspirations, and molecular tests.


CONCLUSIONS
To maintain their high standard of excellence, cytologists should seek to define the most appropriate way to incorporate this new information into their interpretation of individual cases.
Department of Pathology, Baptist Hospital of Miami, 8900 N Kendall Dr, Miami, FL 33176, USA. andrewr@baptisthealth.net
Andrew A
AA
Renshaw
D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000592:standards*; D003584:Cytological Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D006801:Humans; D011786:Quality Control; D058996:Quality Improvement