In a milestone for advocates of digital pathology, n anatomic pathology laboratory in The Netherlands has been identified as the first in the world to “transition completely to digital diagnosis.” The laboratory is Laboratorium Pathologie Oost-Nederland (LabPON), located in Hengelo. In a press release announcing the accomplishment, Royal Philips noted that, as “the largest pathology laboratory in the Netherlands, LabPON is consulted on more than 54,000 histological cases each year, which translates to more than 300,000 slides of human tissue. The 17 pathologists at LabPon have been using the Philips IntelliSite Pathology Solution since 2012 and used a “structured change management approach to full digital adoption”
More On: Digital Pathology
In Europe, Philips’ digital pathology system is CEmarked for primary diagnostics, as it is with Health Canada. In the United States, this system is cleared by the FDA “for diagnostic use in the
evaluation of HER2 expression in breast cancer and is offered for research use (RUO).” The FDA has yet to clear a digital pathology system for clinical diagnostic purposes. That is one factor inhibiting the adoption of digital pathology in this country. The other is the lack of an effective digital pathology workflow solution that can contribute to improved pathologist productivity.
TRANSITIONS
Genova Diagnostics of Ashville, North Carolina, appointed Christopher S. Smith as its new President and CEO. Formerly Genova’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Smith has held executive positions with Orchard Cellmark, LifeCodes, and Pathology Partners.
Ted Hull retired as President and CEO of Genova Diagnostics. Previously he held executive positions at Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, Nichols Institute, and Deloitte & Touche.
On July 8, pathologist Ronald. D. Workman, M.D., died. From 2000 to 2013, Workman served Sutter Health in Sacramento, California, as its Vice President of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Previously, Workman held leadership positions at St. Francis Health System in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Community Medical Centers in Fresno, California, as well as with the Compass Group.
Dark Daily Update
Have you caught the latest e-briefings from DARK Daily? If so, then you’d know about…
…how the National Academy of Sciences has affirmed the
2011 Report of Carcinogens (RoC) listing formaldehyde as a known cause of cancer in humans. It is one more step on the road to reducing or eliminating formaldehyde from workplaces, include histology laboratories.
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That’s all the insider intelligence for this report. Look for the next briefing on Monday, August 3, 2015.