Supervisor Histology - Histology Laboratory

Job Description

Reporting to the Anatomic Pathology Manager and Surgical Pathology Medical Director or delegate, this position is responsible for the overall function, including supervision and technical support for the Histology Laboratory including Histology related Special Procedures (includes but not limited to Immunohistochemistry, Electron Microscopy, Immunofluroescence, In situ hybridization, Neuropathology) for all aspects specified below. Incoming workload for the Histology Laboratory can originate from various sources including but not limited to Tufts Medical Center, Non-Tufts Medical Center Clinical Entities, Tufts and Non-Tufts Research Entities.

Staffing of the Histology Lab and Special Procedures Areas:

• Hires qualified staff, evaluates, and as necessary, initiates prescribed disciplinary or termination action in accordance with Human Resources policies.
• Supervises and documents the training, competency, and development of all direct reports.
• Responsible for adequately staffing the laboratory, scheduling work hours, vacations, and overtime to assure that turnaround and quality of routine work is not compromised.
• Maintains employee file including all documentation for direct report files as specified by departmental, CAP, state and federal guidelines.

Training and Competency:

• Develops and maintains a continuing education program for technical personnel in accordance with department policies and goals.
• Develops and maintains a program for assessing the competency of direct reports in accordance with CAP and CLIA regulations.
• Responsible for the creation, implementation, communication, and training of new and revised policies and procedures to appropriate lab staff.
• Supervises/performs instruction of Anatomic Pathology residents in functions pertaining to the Histology Laboratory. Presents an introduction/overview to Histology to the residents annually.
• Assures appropriate cross- training of technical staff with the goal of providing adequate technical coverage in all sub-specialties.

Routine Workflow:

• Supervises daily work assignments to assure that all slides and stains are complete within turnaround time expectations as determined by the Surgical Pathology Medical Director and/or per various outside contracts/agreements.
• Addresses personnel, operational and technical problems referring appropriate matters to the Anatomic Pathology Manager
• Performs technical procedures as needed, particularly when staffing is inadequate or the workload level is high.
• Supervises frozen section procedures within the Histology Lab and other specialized frozen techniques.

Regulatory Compliance

• Assures compliance with all guidelines and regulations as set forth by all local, state, federal agencies as well as The College of American Pathologists and The Joint Commission.
• Supervises the function, monitoring and maintenance of all equipment in the Histology Lab per manufacturers recommendation, including troubleshooting mechanical problems. Maintains service contracts or other maintenance plans for all instruments in conjunction with Medical Engineering. Makes decisions regarding appropriate contact to medical engineering or vendor service department in the event that troubleshooting is not sufficient. Maintenance includes that which is done by lab staff, biomedical engineering staff and outside vendors. Documentation of all maintenance must be kept for appropriate periods of time as specified by state, federal, and CAP guidelines.
• Responsible for supervising, participation and documentation of the development and validation of new methods, procedures or instruments.
• Assures compliance with laboratory safety procedures and maintains a biohazard and biochemical program to assure safety in the laboratory. Maintains monitoring of air quality and exposure to employees involved in handling chemicals and fumes.
• Monitors and maintains adequate and proper storage of all archived materials according to CAP, state and federal regulations. This includes but not limited to paraffin blocks, stained and unstained slides, frozen material and associated paper documentation. Assures proper disposal of materials after required storage time has lapsed.

Quality Management:

• Performs annual review of all procedures/documents in the Histology Procedures Manuals. Presents all revisions to the Anatomic Pathology Manager. Major revisions are approved by the Surgical Pathology Medical Director or designee.
• Develops, implements and maintains relevant and required Quality Assurance monitors and projects annually including at least one project to be presented quarterly at the Department Quality Assurance Meeting under the direction of the Anatomic Pathology Manager.
• Utilizes CoPath, manual methods or other instrumentation software to provide monthly workload and quality statistics and other information for management use under the direction of the Anatomic Pathology Manager.
• Obtains and evaluates feedback from pathology professional staff, technical staff, and outside clients. Provides efficient follow up and implements prompt correction as required.

Resource Management:

• Participates and provides necessary data in the capital equipment budget and operational budget processes in conjunction with the Anatomic Pathology Manger and Laboratory Director.
• Provides data and justification information for monthly variance report for the Histology cost center.
• Recommends and participates in the evaluation and acquisition of new equipment and instrumentation.
• Responsible for the maintenance of appropriate inventory levels and the requisition of supplies, in response to changing workload/volumes. Assures that supplies ordered are received correctly.
• Maintains and provides necessary data to assure that charges for all work performed is accurately recorded and billed (Tufts and Non-Tufts; clinical and research ).
• Actively participates in the building, testing and implementation of IS updates and systems as they pertain to the Histology Laboratory.

Qualifications

• Histotechnologist (H.T.L) Certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) which fulfills all eligibility requirements stated therein.
• Three to five years of progressively more responsible experience in a Histology Laboratory including some supervisory experience.
• A broad knowledge of the histology laboratory with special emphasis on immunohistochemistry and special stain procedures as well as a detailed knowledge of more specialized embedding, sectioning and histochemical techniques is required.
• Some general knowledge of electron microscopy, imrnunoperoxidase and immunoflourescent techniques.
• Supervisory skills necessary to effectively facilitate the functioning of the Laboratory.

• This position directly reports to the Anatomic Pathology Manager.
• Supervises Histotechnicians, Histotechnologists, Electron Microscopists, Histology trainees, and lab aides.

• Some exposure to general laboratory hazards. Light to moderate lifting (occasional supplies or instrument movement).

Additional Information

Must be able to perform all essential functions of this position with reasonable accommodation if disabled.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed, as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Tufts Medical Center reserves the right to modify position duties at any time, to reflect process improvements and business necessity.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.