All About HistoQIP

What is HistoQIP?

1. What if our lab does not do a stain?
For any requested stain that is not done by your lab, do not submit a slide. Leave that portion of your result form blank. Do not purchase reagents or controls slides solely for the purpose of completing a HistoQIP exercise.
2. How are the challenges chosen?
The Committee determines which stains and tissues will be assessed in each challenge. Specific tissues and stains are selected to identify common problems – e.g., fixation and processing of fatty breast tissue, optimal cytologic details in decalcified bone marrow biopsies, proper embedding and sectioning of skin biopsies, optimum preparation of amyloid stains, etc. The Committee strives to include cases that will allow laboratories to identify areas that can be improved.

3. Why do you limit the types of stains or tissues to be submitted?
The program is designed to allow laboratories to compare their performance with that of their peers. Allowing broad discretion of the nature of the stain (e.g., brightfield vs. fluorescent techniques) or the types of tissue chosen would limit our ability to compare laboratories. Consistency in testing materials also reduces variations and bias in evaluating slides.

4. What if our lab does not have the requested material?
Because of the wide spectrum of laboratories that participate in HistoQIP, it is not possible to always select tissue types that are seen in every laboratory. For many of the special stains, the tissue is not specified and only a control is requested. For cases in which a tissue is specified but is not seen in your lab, do not submit a slide.

5. Why are the slides not returned?
The slides submitted are retained to keep the cost of the program low. For those participants who wish to review their results, we recommend creating a duplicate set of stained slides and keeping one set for that purpose.

6. How do I order HistoQIP?
Orders are placed through CAP, 800-323-4040, option 1.

7. Did you know you can earn CE Credits online?
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HistoQIP is a quality assurance program for histopathology, jointly sponsored by the National Society for Histotechnology and the College of American Pathologists. The primary emphasis of the program is to improve the quality of histologic preparations routinely performed in the histology laboratory through education.

NEW for 2012 HistoQIP Specialty Series

Help Improve Histologic Slide Preparation

The National Society for Histotechnology (NSH) and the College of American Pathologists (CAP) have partnered to offer new quality assessment tools similar to the HistoQIP and HistoQIP Biopsy programs. The new HistoQIP Specialty Series features three modules. Participating laboratories will:

Select the H&E module that best meets their needs
- Gastrointestinal Biopsy Module (HQBX1)
  - Colon biopsy
  - Esophageal biopsy
  - Small intestinal biopsy
  - Stomach biopsy
- Dermatologic Biopsy Module (HQBX2)
  - Allopecia biopsy
  - Skin excisional biopsy (large excision)
  - Skin punch biopsy
  - Skin shave biopsy
- Urogenital Tract Biopsy Module (HQBX3)
  - Bladder biopsy (non-neoplastic)
  - Bladder biopsy (with urothelial carcinoma)
  - Prostate needle biopsy (non-neoplastic)
  - Prostate needle biopsy (with carcinoma)
Submit up to four H&E stained and coverslipped slides (one from each of the four predetermined categories in the selected module), twice per year. An expert panel of pathologists, histotechnologists, and histotechnicians will receive and evaluate the submitted slides for histologic technique, using uniform grading criteria
Receive an evaluation specific to your laboratory and a Participant Summary report

For more information, see page 221 of the 2012 Surveys catalog. To order one of the new specialty modules, call the Customer Contact Center at 800-323-4040 or 847-832-7000 option 1.

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All About HistoQIP

What is HistoQIP?

For more information on HistoQIP, or to place an order, call CAP at 800-323-4040, option 1.