The Pathologist --
A Guardian of the Community's Healthcare
Introducing Gordon Johnson, MD

You may never meet Gordon Johnson, MD, Chief of Staff and Chief of Pathology at Wellington Regional Medical Center, face to face, but when you undergo a biopsy or laboratory test at the hospital, you will be treated as one of his patients.

Pathologists are a vital part of the healthcare team, although they are often overlooked by patients when making decisions about where to seek medical care. Their work can impact your healthcare in ways you may never have imagined.

While physicians may strongly suspect a diagnosis based upon their knowledge and expertise, the final diagnosis always rests with the information and results provided by the pathologist. "Everything is guesswork without lab tests and pathology reports," Dr. Johnson says. "That's why pathologists are involved in virtually all diagnoses."

In a hospital setting, it is common for pathologists to direct the activities of all areas of the laboratory: chemistry, microbiology, blood bank, hematology, anatomic pathology and cytology. Pathologists review abnormal blood and urine samples and examine tissue specimens removed from the body, including skin lesions, diseased organs and tumors, to identify cancerous or benign cells.

Each day, the pathologist's schedule closely follows that of the surgical operating room schedule. The pathologist may be called upon to urgently examine tissue specimens in the operating room and often performs frozen sections where tissue is rapidly frozen and cut into thin sections, and examined under a microscope. The findings, which may only take minutes, can change the course of surgery.

Quality Control
A critical role of pathologists is that of quality control. As chief pathologist, Dr. Johnson oversees a staff of lab technicians, laboratory equipment and the proper handling of specimens. "Our quality control efforts are vital because our results are only as good as our laboratory, our personnel and the integrity of the specimens we receive," he says.

One way the Pathology Department monitors quality is by periodically sending random pathology samples to outside labs to confirm that both facilities get the same results. In addition, Dr. Johnson typically visits the operating room several times a day to consult with surgeons about the best ways to extract and preserve tissue samples so that he can complete the necessary tests and obtain the most accurate results.

"We have the equipment we need to perform most tests on site," he says, "but we must also recognize our limitations. We know when and where to send samples when we need additional technology or the expertise of pathologists who specialize in certain areas."

Beyond the Lab
The quality of pathologists and pathology departments across the country is very high, according to Dr. Johnson, so most patients can feel comfortable that they are getting appropriate diagnoses. However, Dr. Johnson's vision of what a pathologist could and should be is what sets him apart.

"Pathogists are, by and large, responsible for the nation's blood banks and labs," he says. "But a good pathologist works all over the hospital. We can provide added value to patients, the hospital and the community by taking an active and prominent role in helping the hospital set and achieve higher standards."

In his role as chief of staff of Wellington Regional Medical Center, Dr. Johnson serves on many hospital and medical staff committees, working alongside appointed physicians on a wide range of issues, including infection control, quality improvement, physician credentialing, regulatory compliance, patient safety and quality of care.

He also serves as a member of the hospital's Tumor Board, which reviews case studies and discusses pathologic features of each tumor. Dr. Johnson serves as an adjunct clinical assistant professor of Wellington Regional's Medical Education Program and has twice been the recipient of the "Golden Apple" award for his devotion to the teaching and mentoring of students in the program.

Qualifications
Board-certified in anatomic and clinical pathology, Dr. Johnson has been a member of Wellington Regional Medical Center's medical staff since 2001. He earned his medical degree from St. Louis University in Missouri and completed a residency in pathology at the St. Louis University Group Hospitals and Missouri Baptist Hospital.

Dr. Johnson's membership in professional organizations includes: the American Medical Association, the College of American Pathologists, the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, the Palm Beach County Medical Association and the Florida Medical Association.

His work is so influential in his field that he has earned numerous awards over the years. In fact, the College of American Pathologists named him the first recipient of the Outstanding Communicator Award for his efforts to "raise public awareness about the role of pathologists."

"Pathologists are truly guardians of the community's healthcare," he says. "We may not provide care at the bedside, but every patient in the hospital is our patient. Everything we do is designed to make sure that patients get the high-quality healthcare services they need, when they need them."

Wellington Regional Medical Center, 10101 Forest Hill Blvd. Wellington, FL 33414 (561) 798-8500