Information systems have become an integral part of the practice of anatomic pathology. Whereas only a decade ago computerization of pathology workflow was considered somewhat of a luxury, it is now the rare pathology laboratory which does not use some sort of information system to manage at least some component of its specimen processing. As information systems becomes more fundamental to the practice of anatomic pathology, pathologists are being called upon to make decisions about how these systems will be implemented, upgraded, and used in their own departments and at their own institutions. Many, however, feel ill-equipped to do so because they do not understand the terminology or the technology. This course is aimed at providing pathologists, residents, and/or administrators with the tools and practical information they need to make informed decisions about the deployment and use of information technology in their day-to-day practice of pathology. No prior experience with information technology is needed.

The course will begin with an overview of different types of management philosophies and system deployment architectures. This is important in understanding the relationship between your department’s system and institution resources, and has implications for all subsequent management decisions. We will then discuss an organized approach to critically evaluating software “features” available in many commercial anatomic pathology systems, and apply that framework to some of the more modern functionalities such as report distribution, synoptic reporting, digital imaging, internet connectivity, and speech recognition.

The rest of the course will consist of an in-depth exploration of specific “problem areas” and provide tips for successful deployment. This will include Digital Imaging, Interfaces, and Teleconsultation. Most of the time will be spent discussing practical issues associated with capture, storage, and use of digital images. The discussion of each problem area will start very basic (What is a digital image anyway? What does JPEG mean? How many pixels do I need? What is HL7, and what happened to HL1 through HL6?) and progress to more detailed technical information (How do I build a scalable web-delivered image repository? What do interface engines do?), so there should be something for everyone.

Finally, the course will conclude with a look at the future of pathology and the role information systems and information management might have in shaping the practice of medicine.

Time will be allotted for open discussion of alternative solutions. A detailed syllabus, distributed at the course, will cover all of the topics discussed. Upon completion, attendees will be better positioned for both informed decision making and intelligent communication with the information systems groups at their institutions. (Last Scheduled Presentation)