Anatomic Pathology
Anatomic pathology is a medical specialty that is concerned with the diagnosis of disease based on the macroscopic, microscopic, biochemical, immunologic and molecular examination of organs and tissues. It is one of two branches of pathology, the other being clinical pathology, the diagnosis of disease through the laboratory analysis of bodily fluids and/or tissues. Often, pathologists practice both anatomical and clinical pathology, a combination known as general pathology.
Anatomic pathology relates to the processing, examination, and diagnosis of surgical specimens by a physician trained in pathological diagnosis. Clinical pathology is the division that processes the test requests more familiar to the general public, such as blood cell counts, coagulation studies, urinalysis, blood glucose level determinations and throat cultures. Its subsections include chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, urinalysis and blood bank.
Anatomical pathology is itself divided in subspecialties, the main ones being surgical pathology (breast, gynecological, endocrine, gastrointestinal, GU, soft tissue, head and neck, dermatopathology), neuropathology, hematopathology, cytopathology, and forensic pathology.
Anatomic pathology is one of the two primary certifications offered by the American Board of Pathology (the other is clinical pathology) and one of three primary certifications offered by the American Osteopathic Board of Pathology. To be certified in anatomic pathology, the trainee must complete four years of medical school followed by three years of residency training. Many U.S. pathologists are certified in both anatomic pathology and clinical pathology, which requires a total of four years of residency. After completing residency, many pathologists enroll in further years of fellowship training to gain expertise in a subspecialty.
Anatomic pathologists usually work in hospitals, investigating the effects of disease on the human body via autopsies and microscopic examination of tissues, cells, and other specimens. Medical laboratory directors are responsible for the sophisticated laboratory tests on samples of tissues or fluids and the quality and accuracy of the tests. The practice of pathology is most often conducted in community hospitals or in academic medical centers, where patient care, diagnostic services, and research go hand in hand.
OIG Releases Opinion On AP Lab Condominiums
CEO SUMMARY: In responding to a request for an advisory opinion, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued an advisory opinion which declares that anatomic pathology (AP) lab condominiums “could potentially generate prohibited remuneration under the anti-kickback statute.” It a…
Anatomic Path Lab Weathers Florida’s Blitz of Hurricanes
EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS always get rewritten after a crisis. That’s certainly the case with Palm Beach Pathology, which survived the recent blitz of hurricanes that hammered Florida’s east coast. “Our laboratory is located in West Palm Beach, a city hit hard by Hurricane Fran…
Measuring Daily Productivity of Pathologists Can Be Complex
“Conflict in groups stems from trying to use one measurement system to meet all practice goals. This is the pitfall to avoid.” —Dennis Padget CEO SUMMARY: Productivity measurement systems are widely used outside the healthcare industry to bet…
Oncology’s Potential Drives AP Lab Expansion
CEO SUMMARY: It is no coincidence that another public company is shifting its business focus and expanding its efforts to capture cancer-related anatomic pathology specimens. Demographic trends predict a steady increase in the number of new cancer cases yearly, while new technologies are …
New Competitors Line Up In Oncology Marketplace
CEO SUMMARY: Local pathology groups are advised to more closely track developments in the national market for oncology testing. Not only is big money targeting cancer testing, but a number of nimble, entrepreneurial start-up companies have begun to compete for specimens. Genzyme’s acqui…
IMPATH Has a Buyer: Genzyme Pays $215 Mil
CEO SUMMARY: Two unexpected things happened in IMPATH’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy action. First, it attracted a buyer willing to pay the premium price of $215 million for its assets. Second, the buyer was not another laboratory company. Rather, it is a new entrant into the oncology diagnost…
“Where’s The Beef?” AP’s AWOL at AmeriPath
REMEMBER THAT FAMOUS TELEVISION commercial from Wendy’s burger restaurants? The elderly lady scrutinizes a big hamburger bun that’s obviously short on meat and asks the seminal question “Where’s the beef?” In 1984, it was a catch line that captured the American imagination and was repeated…
Buyout of AmeriPath Riles Some Shareholders
CEO SUMMARY: Owners of the few remaining independent private laboratory companies closely watch prices paid by lab buyers. In the pending sale of AmeriPath to private equity investor Welsh, Carson, Anderson, & Stowe, dissenting shareholders disclosed several aspects of the valuation p…
CPI Lab Fee Adjustment Threatened by New Bill
CEO SUMMARY: Once again, the laboratory testing industry has been singled out as a healthcare “whipping boy” by Congressional aides. In working to develop the next federal budget, legislators again propose to deny annual CPI price updates for laboratory tests. This won’t be anything…
IMPATH Buys Tamtron In Surprise Decision
CEO SUMMARY: In an unexpected announcement, IMPATH, Inc. announced it would purchase Tamtron Corp., the largest remaining independent vendor of anatomic pathology systems. It was just months earlier that Cerner Corporation acquired Dynamic Healthcare Technologies, Inc. and its CoPath™ p…
CURRENT ISSUE
Volume XXXII, No. 6 – April 21, 2025
Now that a federal judge has vacated the FDA’s LDT rule, The Dark Report analyzes the judgement and notes the various steps the FDA could take in response. Also, lab testing at pharmacies is proving to be less successful than was once anticipated.
See the full table of contentsHow Much Laboratory Business Intelligence Have You Missed?
Lab leaders rely on THE DARK REPORT for actionable intelligence on important developments in the business of laboratory testing. Maximize the money you make-and the money you keep! Best of all, it is released every three weeks!
Sign up for TDR Insider
Join the Dark Intelligence Group FREE and get TDR Insider FREE!
Never miss a single update on the issues that matter to you and your business.