Okay, now I'm really confused. 

I've been a party to lots of e-mails over the years that have chastised
vendors for "selling" on the Histonet.  But, I can ask the same questions
that Jasper has asked (about the value of recruitment ads) about the value
of making a new product announcement and I can come up with the same
positive answers.  If I have a new product that will further the profession
(for example a new embedding media that will allow new stains to be done in
a new way that provides more information in a better form); if it serves the
needs of the Histonet subscriber by giving them a new protocol that is
beneficial; if it adds to the professional capabilities of the technician by
increasing their skills and doesn't detract from it; if it is not
misleading, dishonest or offensive; and if the upside is to give technicians
a safer, easier more effective method for doing their job -- why is this
something everyone objects to so vehemently in a "vendor's" case but not in
recruitment.

For me to tell the members of the Histonet about my new product that might
be of benefit to them (meeting all of Jasper's criteria) I have to pay to
advertise in magazines like NSH or Advance; rent booth space at AACC, NSH &
ASM; produce direct mail pieces and mail them to you or send a sales person
into your lab.  That's a part of doing business.  You have all expressed the
wish not to be "sold" to on the histonet, which we as vendors have been
doing a pretty good job of honoring.  But free advertising is free
advertising.  If you are going to allow one kind of business to "advertise"
their product on the Histonet then are you being fair to the others who have
something to offer that could be equally beneficial?

I don't think there's an easy answer.  But I also don't think it's fair to
all the vendors who have supported the Histonet with their information and
personal support to allow free advertising to some and not to others.  Since
I agree that we all have delete buttons and the general consensus has been
to use it if you don't want to read recruitment ads, why would you not want
to allow a vendor to have the same opportunity?  If a vendor posts a message
that said "New Product Announcement - embedding media" why would this not be
acceptable?  You could exercise your delete key just as well and those who
wanted to know about the product could get the information.

I'm not lobbying for vendors selling their products on the Histonet or
recruiters being banned.  I am lobbying for fairness.  The subscribers are
just as much a target market for a recruiter as they are for a more
traditional vendor.  If you're willing to open yourselves up to one then,
within limits and in a sense of fairness you might want to consider
conditions under which you allow others to play in the game.

Linda Durbin
EXAKT Technologies, Inc.

  

-----Original Message-----
From: Jasper, Thomas [mailto:TJasper@smdc.org]
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2001 6:45 PM
To: 'histonet@pathology.swmed.edu'
Subject: recruiters


Here are some thoughts on recruiters and their ads on the histonet.
I can understand Frieda's point, purely from an academic and technical view.
The histonet was designed and defined by it's creators as an exchange to
further our profession. I most certainly would not like to see vendors all
over the place however, I don't know if recruiting people is equivalent to
pitching products. Granted there is money to be made by these people but, a
good job for someone may be more valuable than anything for sale by a
vendor.
So I then asked myself some questions: Would allowing recruiters on the
histonet further our profession? Would it serve the needs of histonet
subscriber's? Does it add to our professionalism or detract from it? Is it
dishonest, misleading or offensive? What if any are the upsides and
downsides I may not have considered?
To answer the first question I decided yes. As we are a young(relatively
speaking)organized medical profession, having exposure by recruiters to the
wider world is positive for us. Everyone knows about the shortage of nurses
and probably more about other laboratory professionals, we deserve
recognition also. To answer the second I also decided yes. Not only are
people looking for good jobs, others are looking for good people. To answer
the third, I certainly believe it can add to our professionalism. It is of
course up to each of to act in such a way, but it certainly is a good
opportunity for histology people to demonstrate what a special group we are.
I don't see it as dishonest, misleading or offensive, if anyone came into
question on these issues I'm sure the bad news would spread like wild fire.
The last question is for you to ponder.
The last point I would like to make is this; I believe that in general we
have been an overworked, underpaid and in many cases unappreciated group of
highly skilled and specialized individuals. Many of us work with a great
deal of stress and a relatively high amount of risk. I also believe that
many histology budget considerations have been an afterthought, depending on
who's doing your funding. I'll get off my soapbox now, I just wanted to
consider this issue thoroughly. Thank you.

Thomas Jasper HT(ASCP) BAS
Histology Team Leader
SMDC Clinical Laboratory
Duluth, MN
tjasper@smdc.org