title: Decreased faux addenda following standardisation of pathologist practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We wanted to improve the quality of histopathology addenda and amendments by introducing standardised nomenclature and procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  We standardised amendment and addenda definitions, implemented a pathologist visual work tool, and evaluated and quantitated all amendments and addenda for 3 months prior to implementation and 17 months after.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 3-month pre-intervention period, 32 of 979 addenda (3.3%) were misused and 18 of 98 amendments (18.4%) were incorrectly classified. In the 17-month post-intervention period, 57 of 5906 addenda (1.0%) were misused and 54 of 752 amendments (7.2%) were incorrectly classified. These differences were statistically significant (p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The introduction of standardised nomenclature and a visual work tool significantly improved the quality of histopathology addenda and amendments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
authors.forename: Maxwell L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
authors.forename: Amy J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Wendel-Spiczka
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zarka
mesh_terms: D000066491:Clinical Decision-Making / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010340:Pathology, Surgical / Q000592:standards*
keywords: QUALITY ASSURANCE; QUALITY CONTROL; REPORTS; SAFETY; SURGICAL PATHOLOGY