Ralf LieberzLab-ManagerSenckenbergisches Institut für PathologieUniversität Frankfurt am Main

Window on Europe: II° European Hysto-Cytotechnicians meeting.

Coordinatori: A. Bondi, S. Simonazzi

What qualifications does it take to work in a Biomedical Laboratory: MTA; BTA; Biologielaborant

BIOMEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN

In which kind of laboratories can Biomedical Laboratory Technicians work ? (Clinical Chemistry, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, Forensic Medicine, Molecularbiology Laboratories, Cellculture-Labs,

The Biomedical Laboratory Technician is generally employed in public and private laboratories. He also work as a freelancer, but he is not allowed to make diagnoses. Therefore you need a pathologist.

Is there a technicians’ register for Biomedical Laboratory Technicians ? No!

BIOMEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN

Are there professional associations for Biomedical Laboratory Technicians ? In Germany the DVTA; www-dvta.de

The Biomedical Laboratory Technicians must continually update his knowledge. How? Autonomously, you have to visit congresses, talks, workshops ect.

How can your professional career develop or improve? You can become a lab manager or a lab leader. You can

work at research and being a part in publications. You can teach young technicians.

BIOMEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN

LABORATORY FEATURES

Does the technician chief work together with other technicians or does he only manage a department ? In private department he works together with the other

technicians. In university-departments he has nearly only management functions.

Is there a technician chief or a coordinator?

Yes , in Germany we called it leitender med.- technischer-Assistant ( chief-technician!)

Is Surgical Pathology Laboratory able to develop methods and procedures and to carry out scientific researches? Yes of course.

Do Biomedical Laboratory Technicians cooperate with other hospital professionals in different? Yes! For a brilliant technical result it is very important to

cooperate with other hospital professionals. We do a lot of talks and work-shops together. We have to understand the problems from each other.

LABORATORY FEATURES

Do technicians work in all laboratory sector or dedicated sectors? I our department the technicians work in the routine-lab,

the immunhisto-lab, the RNA-lab ect. They change there working places in the lab weekly.

LABORATORY FEATURES

Are there specialists in safety management, technology equipment and tutorship? Yes, we have special quality-manager and technology

managers and we have different persons who are specialized in safety management.

LABORATORY FEATURES

Is There a system of employee rating or skill evaluation? How does it work ?

We have no employee rating or skill evaluation in Germany!

LABORATORY FEATURES

Is Surgical Pathology service available at daytime or 24 hours a day? How is an emergency managed? The service in our department is available from 6am to

6pm. For emergency reasons open end. Therefore it is necessary to have a telephone call before 5pm.

Has the laboratory a budget which enables it to choose instruments and his staff autonomously ? Yes here at the Frankfurt university hospital is that

possible!

LABORATORY FEATURES

Which fixatives do you use in a SP laboratory? Do you use formalin substitutes ? 4-5% (10%) buffered formalin.

Do you make reagents yourself or do you use commercial kits? Most of the reagents are commercial kits. RTU-reagents!

Do you use xylene / toluene substitutes ? We use Xylene

LABORATORY TOOLS

What is the average running time for a histology/cytological preparation ? Fast embeddings: 4h; Normal embeddig: over night;

cytological preparation 1,5h

In the cytological screening may the technician sign the report ? No, they sign only the pre-report. The final report is only

signed by the pathologist.

LABORATORY TOOLS

How does your company take care of your health? Do you have sufficient personal protective equipment available? Do you have compensating payment for the risk exposure? Yes we have!

Do you have a personal insurance ? Yes we have! In Germany we called it

“Berufsgenossenschaft”. If you become ill from workplace-reasons you get money from the Berufsgenossenschaft.

LABORATORY TOOLS

What tools do you have for internal quality management? In Germany it is possible to have certification (ISO 9001) or a “Akkreditierung” and there are a lot of special cancer centers by the german cancer society. Here you must have a special “pit-fall management”. You have to use controls during immunhisto. You have to use CE-certified reagents. For immunhisto and molecular-pathology we have a nationwide test-system. Here you can see what’s going on in your lab. Witch tests are running quite good and with are running not so good.

LABORATORY TOOLS

Do you have an external quality assessment service? Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft und Deutsche Gesellschaft für Akkreditierung.

LABORATORY TOOLS

Thank you all!It was a pleasure to be a part of your

meeting!Many greeting from Germany to Italy