Digital Pathology Blog

Eye on FDA YouTube Channel

Eye on FDA, a specialty blog written by Mark Senak, Senior Vice President at Fleishman-Hillard in Washington, D.C., launches a new YouTube channel. The Eye on FDA YouTube channel will aggregate healthcare videos in various subject areas, with a concentration on oncology, diabetes and HIV, in one, easily-accessible place.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) August 27, 2008 — This week Eye on FDA, a specialty blog written by Mark Senak, Senior Vice President at Fleishman-Hillard in Washington, D.C., launched a new YouTube channel to aggregate healthcare videos in various subject areas on a single site.

The Eye on FDA YouTube channel is accessible by going directly to YouTube or can be accessed at the Eye on FDA site in a sidebar containing direct links to the various playlists.

The Eye on FDA YouTube channel features playlists that are disease-specific in oncology, diabetes and HIV, with plans to expand to other disease and chronic conditions. The site also aggregates videos on public health, including various videos produced by the government, as well as FDA videos that are product-specific announcements. In addition, investors will be able to access an aggregation of videos on finance matters produced by Bloomberg, theStreet.com and other financial resources.

The Eye on FDA YouTube channel added to the Web site expands the Eye on FDA offering of daily blog postings and daily twitter updates to offer an integrated strategic approach to engage the growing sector of digital followers with healthcare and pharmaceutical interests.

Mark Senak’s Eye On FDA

‘Eye on FDA’ has a diverse ‘readership’, including national media, government officials, patient groups, law firms, stock analysts and pharmaceutical companies themselves.

Upcoming CAP Foundation Grants—October 1st Deadline

The CAP Foundation is the leading philanthropic organization for pathologists and residents-in-training. The Foundation’s research, training, and leadership development grants and awards benefit promising pathology researchers, advance technology innovations, develop new pathology leaders, and provide humanitarian aid related to pathology.

For additional descriptions, eligibility requirements and guidelines for completing an application, visit the CAP Foundation Web site. You can also send an email, or call 800.323.4040 extension 7324 for more information.

Grants for Advanced Training

Advanced Training – General Elective
Sponsored by:  CAP Foundation
Deadline:  October 1, 2008

Award Amount:  $2,000 per month to support travel and living expenses.

Purpose:  To support travel and living expenses for the training period.

Advanced Training Elective in Molecular Diagnostics
Sponsored by:  Abbott Molecular
Deadline:  October 1, 2008

Award Amount:  $2,000 per month to support travel and living expenses.

Purpose:  To support travel and living expenses for the training period.

Advanced Training Elective in Molecular Diagnostics for Individualized Cancer Treatment Decisions
Sponsored by:  Genomic Health
Deadline:  October 1, 2008

Award Amount:  Allowance provided for travel and living expenses.

Purpose:  To provide additional exposure to advanced molecular diagnostics techniques and quantitative testing (e.g., PCR, ER, PR, Her2).

NEW – Advanced Training Elective in Molecular Pathology
Sponsored by:  Sakura Finetek USA, Inc.
Deadline:  October 1, 2008

Award Amount:  Allowance provided for travel and living expenses.

Purpose:  To provide a rotation aimed at pathology residents and fellows in training who are interested in learning cutting-edge technology used at high throughput surgical pathology departments.

Advanced Training in Pathology Informatics
Sponsored by:  CAP Foundation and McKesson Provider Technologies
Deadline:  October 1, 2008

Award Amount:  Allowance provided for travel and living expenses.

Purpose:  To offer background and experience to pathology residents to introduce and implement advanced informatics technology in the clinical laboratory. This elective must be completed within May 1 – August 31, 2009.

NEW – Advanced Training Elective in Translational Diagnostics
Sponsored by:  Ventana Medical Systems
Deadline:  October 1, 2008

Award Amount:  Allowance provided for travel and living expenses.

Purpose:  To gain additional exposure to novel antibody and probe development, new machines, technology, partnerships for developing companion diagnostics and related areas. This elective must be completed by December 31, 2008.

Conference Travel Awards

2009 Lab InfoTech Summit (March 16 - 18, 2009, Las Vegas, NV)
Sponsored by:  CAP Foundation and the Pathology Education Consortium

Award Amount:  Recipients will receive complimentary registration and will be reimbursed up to $1,000 for travel expenses.

Purpose:  To attend a conference focusing on information technology for the clinical laboratory.

Grants for Quality Assurance

John H. Rippey Grant for Laboratory Quality Assurance
Sponsored by:  CAP Foundation
Deadline:  October 1, 2008

Award Amount:  $10,000

Grants for Research Projects

Scholars Research Program
Sponsored by:  CAP Foundation and Seracon Diagnostics Company
Deadline:  October 1, 2008

Award Amount:  Up to $12,500 for six months and up to $25,000 for one year.

Purpose:  To provide funding for translational research in pathology.

NEW – Scholars Research Cervical Cancer Fellowship
Sponsored by:  Hologic Health
Deadline:  October 1, 2008

Award Amount:  $25,000

Purpose:  To allow a principal investigator to address a research question that focuses on the current FDA approved screening of women from age 30+ (HPV in conjunction with a PAP test.)

Research in Telepathology – Nikon
Sponsored by:  CAP Foundation and Nikon Instruments
Deadline:  October 1, 2008

Award Amount:  $5,000 to cover expenses incurred during the grant period, and for travel to attend a national meeting to present an abstract/paper summarizing study results.

Purpose:  To further developments in and use of information technology for the practice of pathology.

Research in Telepathology – Olympus
Sponsored by:  CAP Foundation and Olympus America
Deadline:  October 1, 2008

Award Amount:  $5,000 to cover expenses incurred during the grant period, and for travel to attend a national meeting to present an abstract/paper summarizing study results.

Purpose:  To further developments in and use of information technology for the practice of pathology.

Virtual 3D Microscopy Using Multiplane Whole Slide Images in Diagnostic Pathology

Kalinski T, Zwonitzer R, Sel S, et al.  Department of Pathology, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany.  Am J Clin Pathol 2008 Aug;130(2):259-64.

Abstract

To reproduce focusing in virtual microscopy, it is necessary to construct 3-dimensional (3D) virtual slides composed of whole slide images with different focuses. As focusing is frequently used for the assessment of Helicobacter pylori colonization in diagnostic pathology, we prepared virtual 3D slides with up to 9 focus planes from 144 gastric biopsy specimens with or without H pylori gastritis. The biopsy specimens were diagnosed in a blinded manner by 3 pathologists according to the updated Sydney classification using conventional microscopy, virtual microscopy with a single focus plane, and virtual 3D microscopy with 5 and 9 focus planes enabling virtual focusing. Regarding the classification of H pylori, we found a positive correlation between the number of focus planes used in virtual microscopy and the number of correct diagnoses as determined by conventional microscopy. Concerning H pylori positivity, the specificity and sensitivity of virtual 3D microscopy using virtual slides with 9 focus planes achieved a minimum of 0.95 each, which was approximately the same as in conventional microscopy. We consider virtual 3D microscopy appropriate for primary diagnosis of H pylori gastritis and equivalent to conventional microscopy.

Download Kalinski_AJCPAug2008_virtual3Dwholeslide.pdf

CAP Earns Award

Most pathologists in the US are members of The College of American Pathologists (CAP), www.cap.org, a medical society serving more than 17,000 physician members and the laboratory community throughout the world.  It is the world’s largest association composed exclusively of pathologists and is widely considered the leader in laboratory quality assurance. The College is an advocate for high-quality and cost-effective medical care.

The CAP recently earned an education award - recent press release below

The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) has awarded the Education Division of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) the status of Accreditation with Commendation as a provider of continuing medical education for physicians.

The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) has awarded the Education Division of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) the status of Accreditation with Commendation as a provider of continuing medical education for physicians.

This Accreditation is a significant accomplishment as only about six percent of all providers seeking accreditation or re-accreditation are awarded this highest level of distinction.

“To ensure optimal results and patient safety,” said William F. Hickey, MD, FCAP, chair of the CAP Council on Education, “the CAP prides itself on providing pathologists with the highest caliber of timely, practical continuing medical education. Therefore, recognition of our efforts by an external accrediting body is most encouraging.”

The College was awarded a six year accreditation, a rating that indicates optimal compliance with the AACME standards. This rating demonstrates overall excellence in the delivery of continuing medical education program activities and recognizes the CAP’s performance as exemplary.

“We are very proud of having attained this level of recognition,” said Constance Filling, CAP vice president of education. “As our goal is to help our members excel in all areas of laboratory medicine and ensure the highest caliber of patient care, this award certainly attests to the effectiveness of our efforts.”

Education, offered in the areas of anatomic and clinical pathology, practice management, and laboratory procedures, focuses on practical education for both pathologists and laboratorians. CAP education is offered via a broad range of formats, including online training, audio conferences, podcasts and live events.

Lab InfoTech Summit 2009 - Mark your Calendars

Bruce Friedman over at www.labsoftnews.com has posted a note about Lab InfoTech Summit 2009 to be held March 16-18 in Las Vegas.  The announcement has new additions to the program as well as a PDF of the ad in CAP Today.

I attended this meeting for the first time this year and thought the program and speakers were excellent. 

Would encourage anyone interested in healthcare and pathology informatics should check out the announcements and scheduled program when it becomes available. 

Slideworld.org

A colleague of mine referred me to a site called slideworld.org.  The site allows you to upload and view powerpoint presentations of a medical nature (and some not).  I have found the uploads very quick and search tools and viewing extremely simple. 

SlideWorld is a Powerful resource for Powerpoint Slide Presentation. SlideWorld is a web resource designed to facilitate educational process of medical professionals. Slide presentations has become one of the key ways of facilitating education and a way of communicating the new scientific developments. Academic faculties and clinicians in practice from worldwide have contributed to the web portal. I invite you to check out this resource and enhance the sharing and collaborative development of this educational resource.

Here is an example:

| View | Upload your own| Email

Aperio Receives FDA Clearance for ER and PR Image Analysis Applications

Digital Pathology Leader Adds Third FDA Clearance for Digital Pathology in Breast Cancer

Press release today out of Aperio clears the way for their customers to perform image analysis on the trio of immunohistochemistry used routinely in breast carcinoma. 

"The addition of FDA cleared ER/PR image analysis applications to our previously cleared applications for HER2 underscores our commitment to provide clinicians and breast cancer patients with the most comprehensive entire-slide quantitative image analysis panel available anywhere," stated Dirk Soenksen, CEO of Aperio. "Aimed with these clearances, our customers can now take full advantage of our new digital IHC software to optimize their workflow and streamline reporting, while enjoying the benefits of quantitative image analysis."

Internet Visits With Doctors Can Beat Office Appointments

There is an interesting story by Benjamin Brewer, MD on WSJ.com that contrasts my post last week about physicians mocking telemedicine options via the Internet. The story starts:

"My patient probably would have rather been anywhere else. He and his wife were in my office to discuss his erectile dysfunction for the first time.

He looked uncomfortable. For a guy who doesn't go to the doctor much, a medical office can seem as foreign and intimidating as the dark side of the moon.

His exam was normal, but he needed to quit smoking. Would it have been easier for you to fill out a questionnaire on the Internet and skip the office visit? I asked. "You bet," he replied.

The way I see it, he didn't really need to come in at all. He needed a risk assessment for heart disease, a prescription for medication, counseling and help with stopping smoking. The results would have been the same online or in person."

Dr. Brewer goes on to make the claim there is little or no data to support face to face visits for some conditions and telehealth options may be suitable that will be as effective and more cost protective.

The story closes with the following line:

Due to his schedule and the volume of email he receives, Dr. Brewer may not be able to respond to all reader email. He does participate in his forum, where readers are urged to post. His email address is thedoctorsoffice@wsj.com.

So next time the commercial closes with "talk to your doctor" consider e-mailing him or her.

Physicians sign up now for webicina!

Berci Mesko over at scienceroll.com continues to astound and amaze me with his vision and time he his able to dedicate as a full-time medical student to the world of Medicine 2.0.  I have posted on this previously a couple of weeks ago (Follow up on Mayo Clinic Facebook). 

Berci has done it again with webicina, an online service with aims to help physicians enter the web 2.0 era with personalized Medicine 2.0 packages including step-by-step tutorials, webinars and online image building solutions. 

He and I are part of a medical bloggers panel at the Medicine 2.0 Congress next week in Toronto. 

All of this has got me thinking about "Pathology 2.0" as we progress with digital technology and the "Practice of Pathology 2.0" and what will the tumor board of 2012 or 2020 look like?  Combine molecular, digital technologies and bioinformatics and the tools needed for personalized, predictive and pre-emptive medicine are at our fingertips.  I will introduce these concepts with the time I have available in Toronto and expand upon them at Pathology Visions 2008 in October. 

This is an opportunity for pathology that will enhance our practices with increased diagnostic accuracy and more importantly, prognostic information and content for our patients.

Physicians debate value of 'Most Wired Hospitals' survey

Healthcare IT News

By  Richard Pizzi, Associate Editor

07/17/08

In a lively panel session Wednesday at the 2008 Physician-Computer Connection Symposium, physician IT leaders discussed the importance of the "Most Wired Hospitals" list - which is based on the annual Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study - and disagreed about whether such rankings are useful or simply a marketing tool for hospitals.

"Just how dangerous is this report?" asked William Bria, MD, chairman of the AMDIS board of advisors and chief medical information officer at Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Bria speculated that hospital CEOs and boards of directors might mistakenly believe that the simple installation of healthcare IT would lift quality in a hospital.

"The most wired hospital isn't necessarily the best decision-making organization," he said.

The Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study is conducted annually by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine. In addition to the "100 Most Wired Hospitals and Health Systems" list, the magazine releases lists of the "25 Most Improved," the "25 Most Wireless" and the "25 Most Wired - Small and Rural" hospitals. According to the magazine, the lists are based on a detailed scoring process of the self-reported survey data.

The survey asks hospitals to report on how they use information technology to address safety and quality, business processes, customer service, workforce and public health and safety. This year, 556 U.S. hospitals and health systems completed the survey, representing 1,327 hospitals overall.

The results of the Most Wired survey tend to reflect positively on the overall image of the hospitals making the list, said Turner Billingsley, MD, of the McKesson Corp., which partners with Accenture, the American Hospital Association and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives to support the survey.

Paul Clark, MD, an internist and member of the clinical informatics team at Concord Hospital in Concord, N.H. , said that while it is probably true that information technology is necessary for clinical improvements, it is not sufficient, and more evidence linking IT use and quality improvement was necessary.

"Information technology alone does not transform care," Clark told the AMDIS 2008 attendees. "There is a danger in interpreting this survey in a way that suggests that IT led to these results. What really makes the difference is having an institutional focus on transformation."

Clark said he believes IT will make a quality difference "in the long run," but that hospitals looking for short-term financial benefits will be disappointed. In fact, he suggested, the most financially secure hospitals will implement IT successfully, while institutions short on funds tend to have difficulty.

Talk of money led some physicians in attendance to suggest that the 100 Most Wired list is simply a marketing ploy for hospitals, and that it offers data that's of little use to the industry.

"Hospital executives like this survey because it's a good marketing tool," one physician said. Another attendee agreed, suggesting that hospitals only participate in the survey because they know that it can be used for marketing purposes.

One physician speculated that a possible way to avoid critiques about the survey's integrity would be for Hospitals & Health Networks to take a "Consumer Reports approach" and not allow survey participants to use the Most Wired label in marketing material.

After hearing this comment, a handful of chief medical information officers admitted that their hospitals would probably not participate in the Most Wired survey if they were not allowed to use the results in marketing campaigns.

Alden Solovy, editor of Hospitals & Health Networks, defended the data in the Most Wired survey, while acknowledging that there might be room for criticism.

"If there is a weakness in the survey, it's that we have combined an awards program with a benchmark," he said. "But the survey wouldn't have reached the visibility it has without the awards and ranking aspect. The numbers assigned to the hospitals represent the differences between organizations - they don't represent anything 'real.' And we do use verifications to try to take the gaming out of the responses."

Solovy admitted that large, urban and teaching hospitals tended to have higher participation in the Most Wired survey, but said the sample generally reflected the profile of U.S. hospitals.

What do you think of the survey? Is it valuable, or just a marketing tool? How would you improve upon the process? Send your comments to Associate Editor Richard Pizzi at richard.pizzi@medtechpublications.com.