Digital Pathology Blog

How to Use Pathology 2.0 and Social Networking to Advance Your Career

Social networking and Pathology 2.0 are giving young pathologists unique opportunities to advance their careers and their clinical expertise. If you're a pathology resident or fellow, smart use of these tools can help you identify the perfect job, with ample salary and benefits to match.

If you're preparing to enter the professional arena, you'll want to use Pathology 2.0 and social networking to build valuable collaborations within the pathology profession. In the clinical area, it's a great way to open doors and interact with nationally prominent sub-specialist pathologists and professional leaders. 

Keith J. Kaplan, MD, FCAP is an up-and-coming young pathologist who is recognized as an early master of social networking-and is credited with coining the term "Pathology 2.0." Now he's ready to share what he's learned with you.

If you're a pathology resident or fellow, this is your chance to understand the essentials of Pathology 2.0 and social networking. Find out how the effective use of these resources can boost your career-both clinically and financially when you register to attend "Finding Your Perfect Pathology Job: How to Use Pathology 2.0 and Social Networking to Advance Your Career" on Thursday, February 10, 2011.

"Web 2.0" refers to an Internet that is both personalized and interactive. It incorporates technologies that allow websites to recognize the individual and deliver information and content tailored specifically to each user's interests and needs. It's about instant communication and collaboration across large numbers of like-minded individuals, enabled by the Internet.

Take all those Web 2.0 capabilities, add digital pathology images and you have the basis of Pathology 2.0, which represents a disruptive change agent in today's practice of anatomic pathology. 

Pathology 2.0 is the convergence of digital imaging, digital pathology systems, and integrated healthcare informatics. This combination of digital pathology images with social networking collaborations gives you the ability to discuss or diagnose a case across an ever-expanding network.

During this webinar, you'll learn how Pathology 2.0 is already beginning to change the daily practice of surgical pathology. Find out how digitized whole slide images, combined with different web-based technologies, can change case referral patterns. It all starts with a physician treating a patient and extends to the pathologist who may want a sub-specialist to review the images.

It is easy to see why Pathology 2.0 is likely to transform the current anatomic pathology practice into a different, more vibrant, and more collaborative profession. It will be today's pathology residents-already familiar with computers, email, and video games-who will be more likely to use the Internet to support their surgical pathology practices. 

As a pathology resident or fellow today, you have incredible new tools to advance your clinical skills and increase your professional compensation. Pathology 2.0 and social networking are valuable resources that can help you identify and secure the perfect job this spring. Find out how when you register to attend this very special webinar. 

And don't forget the question-and-answer session at the end of this 75-minute conference. It's your opportunity to get answers to specific questions about how to put Pathology 2.0 to work for you. 

For one low price—just $249—you and your entire team can take part in this fast-paced, insightful webinar. Best of all, you'll be able to connect personally with either of the panelists when we open up the phone lines for live Q&A.

Here's just some of what you’ll learn during this in-depth 75-minute webinar:

• Why digital imaging and digital pathology change everything.
  
  
• How Pathology 2.0 increases your professional capabilities.
  
  
• How you can use both social networking and Pathology 2.0 to market yourself to referring physicians.
  
  
• Avoiding the biggest mistakes pathologists make with their Facebook and MySpace pages.
  
  
• Steps pathology residents can take with social networking to increase recognition of their skills and sub-specialty competencies.
  
  
• Dangers and benefits of communicating with patients and physicians via social networking methods.
  
  
  …and much more!
  

Individuals who benefit from this webinar:

• Pathology chief residents, residents and fellows 
  
• Academic pathology chairs 
  
• Residency program directors 
  
• Pathology department administrators 
  
• Undergraduate and graduate medical educators 
  
• Pathology and laboratory professionals
  

How to Register:
1. Online
2. Call toll free: 800-560-6363

Your webinar registration includes:

• A site license to attend the webinar (invite as many people as you can fit around your computer at no extra charge)
• Downloadable PowerPoint presentations from our speakers
• A full transcript emailed to you soon after the conference
• The opportunity to connect directly with our speaker during the audience Q&A session
  
  Register Now! Or for more information, call us toll-free at 800-560-6363.
  

Distinguished Expert:

Keith J. Kaplan, MD is a pathologist and Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Carolinas Pathology Group, Celligent Diagnostics and Diligent Billing and Management. As CIO, he is responsible for all aspects of informatics strategies, operations, and projects and processes that encompass laboratory, healthcare and research information systems for Carolinas Pathology Group. Dr. Kaplan is board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology. His subspecialty interests include gastrointestinal and hepatic pathology, cytopathology and pathology informatics as well as research interests in gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary pathology, hyperspectral imaging, image analysis and the use of Web 2.0 tools in pathology. Prior to joining Carolinas Pathology Group, Dr. Kaplan was a surgical pathologist at Mayo Clinic and held the academic post of associate professor of pathology of Mayo Medical School. Dr. Kaplan is a graduate of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and completed residency training in anatomic and clinical pathology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. While at Walter Reed, he was named Resident of the Year, and in conjunction with the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, founded and directed the Army Telepathology Program. This program connected 25 hospitals internationally for consultation using telepathology. Dr. Kaplan is a member of the College of American Pathologists, American Society of Clinical Pathology and the American Society of Cytopathology as well as the American Pathology Foundation. He is also an executive board member of the Digital Pathology Association. 
 

 

 

 

Where do Pathologists fit into Accountable Care Organizations? - Part 5

In the fourth installment of my series entitled “Where do pathologists fit into Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)?, I mentioned that I personally had not come across much information on oncology and ACOs.  In this post, I highlight some information about the potential plans of a large, single-specialty integrated oncology practice. Ben Calhoun MD PhD. 

As a surgical pathologist specializing in breast pathology, I assume that oncology will be a major area in of intersection between tumor pathology and ACOs (and the rest of oncology care delivery) in my daily practice.  How will ACOs affect those of us who spend most of our time looking at biopsies and resections for cancer?  That question is difficult to answer right now, but another way to approach the question could be to ask: What do we know about ACOs and oncology in general?

The short answer is: not much.  But, I ran across a recent (January, 2011) article by Judy Packer-Tursman on AISHealth.com about US Oncology and it’s potential as a single-specialty Medicare ACO (reprinted from ACO Business News).  Dr. Leonard Kalman, one the Medical Directors for US Oncology (recently purchased by McKesson), discusses an ACO-like arrangement involving US Oncology and the likely initial scope of ACOs in oncology (most likely limited to states or regions, with the possibility of a national approach later).

Dr. Kalman envisions some exclusivity to ACOs designed to deliver cancer care: “When cancer becomes the primary diagnosis, the oncologist basically handles the patient’s primary care, Kalman explains. ‘Remember, the majority of an oncology patient’s care is cancer care,’ he says. So while ACO patients may require occasional care from other sources, including primary care physicians or specialists such as cardiologists or rheumatologists, only oncologists would be affiliated with a Medicare oncology ACO as he envisions it.”  I guess if primary care physicians and specialists are excluded, that takes some of the mystery out of where pathologists would fit in…hospitals aren’t mentioned, either.

Two other points are worth noting:

1.  US Oncology is already involved in an ACO-like venture in Texas that involves Aetna, Inc. and a subsidiary of US Oncology.  “Meanwhile, Kalman says a seven-month-old ACO-type project in Texas — involving Aetna Inc., Texas Oncology (an affiliated US Oncology practice of 300-odd oncologists); and Innovent Oncology, a subsidiary of US Oncology — is expanding and has ‘the potential to go national.’”

2.  US Oncology is in the process of identifying large hospitals and commercial insurance carriers as potential partners for ACOs after the rules are written and released in January 2012. Dr. Kalman tells ACO Business News that “…..a major hospital in Miami has approached his 40-physician practice about handling cancer care in such a way. ‘Our ACO partner is a dominant hospital system where we put basically all of our patients,’ he says, declining to name it.”  Dr. Kalman adds that “the time is ripe for oncology practices to approach commercial managed care organizations and begin ACO discussions, setting the fee schedule and expenditure targets and a shared-savings arrangement. ‘We’ve picked out a commercial insurance plan as a potential partner,’ he notes.”

Another article in the Oncology Business Review (OBR) on Oncbiz.com discusses oncology and ACOs.  In the January 2011 issue of OBR, Allison Shimooka lists 5 key areas for investment in developing oncology ACOs: physician alignment, payer contracting, knowledge management (this means IT), facility strategy (integrating providers and healthcare systems), and patient engagement/activation.  She refers to plans recently announced by US Oncology and Milliman, a Seattle-based actuarial and consulting firm, to “develop a model for physician-led oncology organizations to contract around risk, either through episode rates, bundled payments, or capitation.”  She also mentions that United HealthCare is “piloting a new episode-based payment methodology with 5 private practice medical oncology groups.”

So, it’s clear that regional and perhaps national oncology ACOs are being contemplated by major players.  What, if any, developments should we expect with regional and national pathology groups and ACOs in general and oncology ACOs specifically (assuming such ACOs eventually exist)? 

 

Toronto Set to Become a World Class Medical R&D Centre

By Rachel Smith 

http://www.businessreviewcanada.ca/sectors/medical-devices-products/toronto-set-become-world-class-medical-r-d-centre

GE Healthcare’s first global Pathology Imaging Centre of Excellence to advance digital imaging pathology solutions worldwide

Toronto will be the home of GE Healthcare’s first global Pathology Imaging Centre of Excellence, a cutting-edge, one-of-a-kind R&D facility that will advance both the technology and adoption of digital pathology solutions, for pathologists world-wide.

The world-class Pathology Imaging Centre of Excellence will be funded by the digital pathology joint venture Omnyx, which is a partnership between GE Healthcare and The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

"The Omnyx joint venture was inspired in 2008 by a ground-breaking discovery at GE's Global Research Centre,” said John Rice, Vice Chairman, President and CEO, Global Growth & Operations, GE.

“The breakthrough technology is part of our global $6 billion healthymagination initiative to improve cost, quality and access in healthcare. Our partnership with the Ontario government has facilitated today's investment."

Omnyx will invest $7.75M along with a $2.25M grant from the Health Technology Exchange (HTX), a funding arm of the Ontario Network of Excellence.

Planned collaborative research and development (R&D) partnerships will bring an additional $7.2M, for a total investment of $17.2M over the next 3 years.

"The Centre is a perfect example of how HTX funding can facilitate medtech investment and job growth in Ontario,” said John Soloninka, HTX President & CEO.

“There is an incredible opportunity for Ontario to support the transformation of pathology with the global leader in this emerging field. We are in discussions with several other MNEs about how they too can gain commercialization advantage through Ontario."

GE Healthcare chose Toronto for its imaging R&D assets and infrastructure that are capable of supporting design, development, validation, and deployment of a global digital pathology (DP) initiative.

The global Pathology Imaging Centre of Excellence will be a boon for Canada’s health network and makes Toronto one of the leading medical research and development hubs in the world.

http://www.businessreviewcanada.ca/sectors/medical-devices-products/toronto-set-become-world-class-medical-r-d-centre

 

Early Register for APF 2011 Spring Conference Now

American Pathology Foundation's   2011 Spring Conference    "Seasons of Change For Pathology;  Meeting the Challenges of Our New Environment"  March 9-11, Four Seasons Hotel, Las Vegas   One Week Remaining for Early Registration Rates  Two Weeks Left for Preferred Hotel Room Rates     Make plans to join the American Pathology Foundation this March in Las Vegas for our 2011 Spring Conference.  Spring Conference attendees can look forward to three days of information-rich sessions on best practices in the business of pathology and plenty of practical "take home" ideas and suggestions for better managing their time, practice and resources. The APF Program Committee has been hard at work selecting timely topics and speakers to help you address critical management issues.  Half-day program blocks will focus on health care reform, tools and techniques to position your practice for the future, improving the bottom-line for your business and new /emerging pathology and laboratory technology.   APF conferences provide ample networking opportunities for you to share experiences and craft solutions with your colleagues.   For online conference registration visit www.apfconnect.org   You may also register over the phone by calling the APF National Office toll-free at (877) 993-9935, ext 202     A complete conference brochure can be downloaded using the link below:       Download the Spring Conference Brochure           NEW FOR 2011 -  Full Day Pre-Conference:  "Practical Coding & Advice for Pathology    Providers" Wednesday, March 9   Participants in the 2011 "Practical Coding" Pre-Conference will gain a thorough understanding of the CPT and ICD9 coding issues specific to pathology.  Dennis Padget, MBA, CPA, FHFMA is the primary presenter for this full-day course which will cover common coding dilemmas, present strategies to implement change and maximize reimbursement. The pre-conference will also cover critical aspects of coding for molecular and special tests and a primer on confronting and correcting claims denials.      Hot Topics Breakfast Roundtable Sessions Friday, March 11 Get your day off to a great start with a full breakfast and a chance to discuss hot topics of the day with Spring Conference faculty and your colleagues.   Due to the popularity of these sessions, additional discussion groups have been added.  Topics include:  Health Care Reform, Legal Issues, Pathology Contracting, Billing and Digital Pathology Topic tables are limited to 10 attendees.                                 Join us for special events planned each day; including our signature wine tasting at Wednesday's Welcome Reception, Thursday's "On Par" Reception, the Foundation's 5th Annual Eilers Fund Silent Auction benefiting resident education and our 2011 Charity Golf Tournament.     We Look Forward to Seeing You  in Las Vegas at the  APF 2011 Spring Conference!

 

Development and evaluation of a virtual microscopy application for automated assessment of Ki-67 expression in breast cancer

The aim of the study was to develop a virtual microscopy enabled method for assessment of Ki-67 expression and to study the prognostic value of the automated analysis in a comprehensive series of patients with breast cancer. 

Methods: Using a previously reported virtual microscopy platform and an open source image processing tool, ImageJ, a method for assessment of immunohistochemically (IHC) stained area and intensity was created. A tissue microarray (TMA) series of breast cancer specimens from 1931 patients was immunostained for Ki-67, digitized with a whole slide scanner and uploaded to an image web server.

The extent of Ki-67 staining in the tumour specimens was assessed both visually and with the image analysis algorithm. The prognostic value of the computer vision assessment of Ki-67 was evaluated by comparison of distant disease-free survival in patients with low, moderate or high expression of the protein. 

Results: 1648 evaluable image files from 1334 patients were analysed in less than two hours.

Visual and automated Ki-67 extent of staining assessments showed a percentage agreement of 87% and weighted kappa value of 0.57. The hazard ratio for distant recurrence for patients with a computer determined moderate Ki-67 extent of staining was 1.77 (95% CI 1.31-2.37) and for high extent 2.34 (95% CI 1.76-3.10), compared to patients with a low extent.

In multivariate survival analyses, automated assessment of Ki-67 extent of staining was retained as a significant prognostic factor. 

Conclusions: Running high-throughput automated IHC algorithms on a virtual microscopy platform is feasible. Comparison of visual and automated assessments of Ki-67 expression shows moderate agreement.

In multivariate survival analysis, the automated assessment of Ki-67 extent of staining is a significant and independent predictor of outcome in breast cancer.

Author: Juho KonstiMikael LundinHeikki JoensuuTiina LehtimakiHarri SihtoKaija HolliTaina Turpeenniemi-HujanenVesa KatajaLiisa SailasJorma IsolaJohan Lundin

Credits/Source: BMC Clinical Pathology 2011,11:3

Standardization and Validation of Digital Pathology in Clinical Laboratories

The following post was submitted by Dr. Holger Lange, CTO of Flagship Biosciences, who is working with a number of pharmaceutical partners on regulatory companion diagnostics development.

Digital Pathology is a new technology, a new industry, where organizations like CLIA, CAP and the FDA provide limited guidance, and the manufacturers still have to learn what it means to provide instruments into a clinical laboratory.

With Digital Pathology now entering the clinical laboratories, it is crucial for physicians and laboratory professionals to understand the regulatory requirements and how to best implement Digital Pathology in their clinical laboratories.

For the past 4-5 years I have worked for a leading Digital Pathology manufacturer. I was responsible for their first product in the clinical market – a digital IHC workflow solution, and their portfolio of FDA clearances. Now I have put together a presentation that summarizes my experience in the clinical market. I hope it will help many physicians and laboratory professionals to quickly get up to speed on how to deal with the implementation of Digital Pathology in their clinical laboratories.

These are the subjects that are covered in the presentation:

Clinical Laboratory Regulations

A discussion on how the CLIA standard and the CAP checklist apply to Digital Pathology. A review of the new ASCO/CAP guidelines for HER2 and ER/PgR for the latest thoughts on standardization and validation in clinical laboratories.

Medical Device Manufacturer Regulations

An overview of the existing US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearances for Digital Pathology with an example of a successful study design. A discussion on the FDA advisory panel meeting on Digital Pathology Whole Slide Imaging (WSI) for the latest thoughts on what it takes to validate Digital Pathology systems for primary diagnosis.

Digital Pathology Systems

Practical tips on how to implement a digital pathology system in a clinical laboratory and how digital pathology manufacturers could make it easier. A demo of how a digital pathology system can help with the logistics of its own validation. A discussion on how going digital could be a game changer for the standardization of pathology, looking at the example of the automatic standardization of staining, using standard controls and automatic image analysis.

Go to the Flagship Biosciences product page for digital pathology regulatory products.

You get an 1½ hour video presentation on a DVD and the presentation transcript.

Save yourself many hours of research and reading! Get the insights you need by viewing this video presentation. Get access to material that cannot be found anywhere else.

 

Where do Pathologists fit into Accountable Care Organizations? - Part 4

The following post was submitted by Dr. Ben Calhoun, a practicing pathologist in Charlotte, NC. This is Ben's fourth submission in a continuing series on trying to answer the question "Where do Pathologists fit into Accountable Care Organizations?"

By now, almost everyone knows that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is drafting regulations that will guide implementation of the ACO program, scheduled to begin January 1, 2012.  What will the regulations look like?  For that matter, what will the often discussed (but rarely seen in the wild) Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) look like?  Of course, we pathologists have to continue to ask:  Where do pathologists fit into ACOs?

For an excellent overview of the available data from the Medicare Physician Group Practice (PGP) demonstration project, I recommend the recent commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine by John K. Iglehart (a national correspondent for the Journal).   

He makes several points that I found interesting:

The project followed defined "quality goals, most of which were process measures related to coronary artery disease, diabetes, heart failure, hypertension, and preventive care."  I personally have not come across very many articles on ACOs that focus on oncology, and I assume that's where most surgical pathologists making tumor diagnoses will get involved.

Many pathologists and pathology practices either are formally part of an Integrated Delivery Network (IDN) or essentially function as part of an IDN through their group practice contract.  We should consider the fact that "No performance payments were earned by the five PGPs that are part of integrated delivery systems (systems that include hospital ownership but are not affiliated with academic medical centers) or by the physician network (Middlesex) that is sponsored by a hospital affiliate."

Since most pathologists mainly work in hospitals (as opposed to private or purely commercial laboratories), we should note that "The majority of the savings at all sites occurred in outpatient, not inpatient, services. [analysts] hypothesized that the presence of a hospital was “a potential deterrent to achieving savings . . . since these systems may be unable to reduce avoidable admissions or use lower cost care substitutes without affecting their inpatient revenue.” That's right, the hospital is a potential deterrent to achieving savings.

Patients move around and switch doctors, and the issue of how patients (and the expense of their care) are attributed to ACOs is becoming a big deal:  "Patients were attributed retrospectively to a PGP if they received more of their primary care from the group’s physicians than from anyone else. These details of attribution — whether, when, and how beneficiaries are informed that they’re part of an ACO and what data on the patient population will be provided to the ACO by the CMS — have provoked intense debate."

Given the current state of our federal and state budgets, more drastic reductions in reimbursement may be required to achieve the desired reductions in spending: "......as it attempts to reduce the vast budget deficit, Congress may need to take more sweeping steps to slow the growth in Medicare spending long before the ACO model can prove whether it is up to meeting these challenges."

M.D. Anderson gets $150 million from UAE president

The president of the United Arab Emirates has donated $150 million to the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, the Houston Chronicle reports.

The gift from President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan will support M.D. Anderson's Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy. The donation honors the current UAE president's father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was president of the United Arab Emirates for more than three decades, and died in 2004.

The donation will help advance research that would personalize therapy for cancer, according to Dr. John Mendelsohn, who will co-lead the institute. "It's our hope that five years from now, thanks to research sponsored by this gift, we will be able to offer such personalized therapy as standard treatment for our patients."

Over the years, M.D. Anderson has treated many patients from the UAE, Mendelsohn added.

About $100 million of the donation will help build a state-of-the-art, 600,000 square-foot facility. The remaining $50 million will fund pancreatic cancer research, equipment and clinical trials. The gift also will fund three endowed chairs.

With $15 billion, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the fifth-richest monarch in the world, according to Forbes.

The second biggest gift M.D. Anderson has ever received was $50 million from oil executive T. Boone Pickens.

Aperio Expands Spectrum™ Functionality for Digital Pathology Management in Release 11

Industry’s Most Advanced Image and Information Management System

VISTA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aperio, the global leader in providing digital pathology solutions that improve patient care and enable personalized medicine, today announced the availability of new enhancements to its digital pathology system. Targeting the evolving needs of pathology professionals, Release 11 enhances workflow capabilities and increases the performance of Aperio’s Spectrum™ image and information management system to better enable the viewing, analysis and management of digital slides and other images in a secure multi-user, multi-site environment.

“Release 11 adds and expands key features of our system that address the needs of pathologists in both clinical and research environments, based on broad usage and feedback from our customers”

"Release 11 adds and expands key features of our system that address the needs of pathologists in both clinical and research environments, based on broad usage and feedback from our customers,” said Dirk G. Soenksen, CEO of Aperio. “Through our ongoing development efforts we continue to supply the pathology community with the most comprehensive patent-protected digital pathology solutions available to help inform better patient care decisions.”

Spectrum consolidates pathology cases, projects, specimens and slides into an integrated source with 24/7 anytime access, eliminating the transfer of glass slides, improving efficiency and streamlining pathology workflow and analysis.

Spectrum’s secure, customizable workflow has made it the digital pathology information management solution of choice for leading global institutions including ARUP Laboratories and Memorial Sloan Kettering.

Key enhancements to Release 11.0 include:

• New Look and Workflow Enhancements -- Spectrum has been redesigned with a streamlined look, new images and icons and many additional usability improvements such as an easy-to-use search function and customized data views for streamlined clinical workflow.
• Compliance Module -- Spectrum includes a compliance module that provides a robust audit system to support GLP and 21 CFR Part 11 compliance standards. Compliance capabilities have been enhanced to provide system administrators and internal and external auditors with more control and additional flexibility, including the ability to require reason entry and electronic signatures on data changes to specified fields.
• Image Analysis -- A key benefit of Spectrum is the extensive support for image analysis applications to highlight and extract information from digital slides managed by the system. Release 11 offers many enhancements to these applications, such as fluorescence image analysis support and histogram data displays.

Aperio is the recognized leader in digital pathology, with a rapidly growing global installed base of more than 750 systems in over 30 countries, including nearly 500 systems in hospitals and references labs, the 13 largest pharmaceutical companies and a multitude of biotechnology and government organizations.

 

ISO 15189 Medical Laboratories: Understanding the Four Components of a Quality Management System

FREE Special Edition White Paper

Download Your FREE Special Report Today!
Simply Complete the Form Below

Medical laboratories are a critical part of the healthcare system. A patient’s diagnosis and treatment are often based on test results, and an incorrect test result could lead to a misdiagnosis — which could have potentially fatal consequences. This is why accurate test results are critical — each and every time a test is conducted. In order to improve the accuracy of results, medical labs around the world have begun adopting ISO 15189: Medical laboratories—particular requirements for quality and competence. The standard requires medical labs to implement a quality management system. This requires them to document all their processes and procedures to ensure lab technologists always understand and follow the correct method when conducting a test.

This white paper provides an overview of the four main components of a quality management system:

• 1. Management Responsibility
• 2. Resource Management
• 3. Service Realization
• 4. Measurement, Analysis & Improvement

PLUS! Learn all about The Deming Cycle:
The white paper also examines the Deming Cycle, which organizations can use to achieve continual improvement for their quality management system. The Deming Cycle has four phases which organizations should constantly loop through.  Learn More Now!

The Dark Report is happy to offer our readers a chance to download our recently published FREE White Paper “ISO 15189 Medical Laboratories: Understanding the Four Components of a Quality Management System” at absolutely no charge. This free download will provide readers with a detailed overview of current legal challenges that your lab may encounter in the near future.

Here is just some of what you will take away…

1. Committing to Quality and Effective Strategic Planning
2. Service Realization: Identifying and Managing Activities
3. Measurement, Analysis and Improvement: Checking on Progress
4. For more about a Quality Management System, please CLICK HERE

Table of Contents

Preface - Page 3

Chapter 1. Executive Overview — Page 3
Chapter 2. Introducing the Four Components of a Quality Management System — Page 5
Chapter 3. Management Responsibility: Committing to Quality  — Page 8
Chapter 4. Resource Management: Applying Established Plans — Page 15
Chapter 5. Service Realization: Identifying and Managing Activities — Page 17
Chapter 6. Measurement, Analysis and Improvement: Checking on Progress — Page 21
Chapter 7. Understanding the Deming Cycle — Page 24
Chapter 8. Case Study:  Implemented ISO 15189 and the Deming Cycle — Page 29
Chapter 9. Conclusion— Page 36

Appendices

A-1 About Gregory J. Flynn, B.Sc., MD, FRCPC — Page 39
A-2 About Julie Coffey, MLT, ART, CQA, CMQ/OE (ASQ) — Page 40
A-3 About Institute for Quality Management in Healthcare — Page 41
A-4 About DARK DAILY — Page 42
A-5 About The Dark Intelligence Group, Inc., and The Dark Report— Page 43
A-6 About Executive War College on Laboratory and Pathology Management — Page 44
A-7 About Robert Michel — Page 46
A-8 About the Poonam Khanna — Page 49
  

Terms of Use — Page 52