Histotalks: Nsh Podcasts

Poster Title: The High Cost of Understaffing: A Case Study in Surgical Pathology Consequences   Authors: Emily Nangano, MS, PA(ASCP)cm; Gillian Bass; Rob Terranova Abstract: Laboratories are the diagnostic backbone of healthcare, yet staffing decisions are often driven by budget constraints rather than operational needs. This case study examines the real-world consequences of delayed staffing action within the anatomic pathology department at a large academic medical center. Faced with a predicted shortfall in grossing coverage due to reduced resident support and unchanged PA staffing levels, institutional leadership opted against proactive hiring. As a result, grossing FTEs fell from 6.5 to 3.5, and histology staffing experienced a drop to 3 technicians from the usual 9 due to attrition and burnout. This staffing collapse led to turnaround time delays of up to 6–8 weeks and forced the lab to outsource specimen processing. Over the following seven months, the institution spent nearly $4 million on reference