The Things You Hear Flying Home from AACC
Just when you think you've picked the bone dry, another morsel of meaty stuff turns up...
After spending the best part of a week in Los Angeles at the information-packed 2012 AACC/ASCLS, I was strapped into my US Airways seat only to hear bad news - the flight was delayed about an hour, and rerouting would be necessary due to weather, causing further delays. Instead of landing in Philadelphia at 10 p.m., midnight was a more realistic target. The airline, in its great generosity, offered water to take the edge off of the monotony of sitting. Those who would miss connecting flights were graciously invited to spend the night upright in the airport. Groans...
That's when I asked, "Anyone here returning form AACC?" Turns out the woman across the aisle from me was Norine Schenck, MT(ASCP), SM, laboratory administrative director at Easton Hospital in Easton, Pa. Attending AACC in her capacity as a healthcare GPO advisor, Schenck said she was window shopping for molecular diagnostics and was impressed that molecular platforms are no longer reserved merely for research but are becoming viable for hospitals as well.
"I'm looking for scalability, breadth of menu and ease of use," said Schenck, thinking about the requirements of multiple hospitals with varying needs. "I was pretty dazzled by some of the things I saw."
Just in front of Schenck was another AACC attendee, Adonica Wilson, POC coordinator at A.I. duPont Children's Hospital, Wilmington, Del. "EP23 was the bog buzz word for me at the conference," she noted. "How this form of quality control is implemented could change the way we do business at point-of-care."
With these introductory observations duly recorded in my notepad, my fellow passengers finally asked me, "Who are you with?" I answered, "ADVANCE magazines. Ever hear of us?"
Both women nodded affirmatively, with accompanying smiles. Then Wilson added, "Oh, I love ADVANCE. I even got my job at duPont through ADVANCE!"
I asked, "Can I quote you?" She said, "Absolutely!"
Now that's great aisle talk. Even better than hearing the captain say, "Fasten your seatbelts, we are ready for take off..."