Cytopathology in focus: Can you send us your cytology slides? Labs are reimbursed for slides accepted into programs

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Christine N. Booth, MD; Kelly Goodrich, CT(ASCP)

May 2020—The CAP relies on the generous submission of slide-based cases from laboratories to maintain the excellent quality of its Cytopathology Educational Programs in Gynecologic Cytopathology (Pap Education), Non-Gynecologic Cytopathology (NGC), Fine Needle Aspiration Cytopathology (FNA), and Proficiency Testing Program in Gynecologic Cytopathology (Pap PT). The CAP Cytopathology Committee, composed of 26 pathologists, two junior members, and two cytotechnologist members, meets quarterly and members submit glass slides to these varied programs.

To meet the increased demand of domestic and international program participants, Cytopathology Committee members are requesting your help in replenishing the coffers. A reimbursement structure is in place to cover the administrative costs of contributing your cytology slides to these programs. In the CAP Pap programs, liquid-based slides, if accepted into the program by three board-certified pathologists, are reimbursed at a rate of $20 per accepted slide, while conventional smears are reimbursed at a rate of $10 per slide. Nongynecologic and FNA cases are reimbursed at a rate of $10 for the first slide in a case and $5 for each additional slide in a case.

The Pap education and PT programs are always in need of excellent examples of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), and carcinomas for all preparation types (conventional, ThinPrep, and SurePath). If you can submit such cases, there must be correlating biopsy or surgical follow-up on file at your institution, as this is a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requirement for cases included in any Pap PT program. The Pap education program is also in need of cases showing cellular changes consistent with herpes simplex virus in all preparation types.

The Pap programs are not accepting slides with an interpretation of negative for intraepithelial lesion (NILM) because there is an excess of inventory.