DIGITAL PATHOLOGY
care and reducing diagnostic errors will help pathologists and other stakeholders view it as an integral part of the pathology service, rather than a peripheral innovation.
2. Establish a framework To achieve a successful, system-wide shift to digital pathology, the NHS needs a clear, national framework to guide digitisation efforts. This framework should include common technical standards, interoperable systems, and clear guidelines to enable seamless integration across NHS Trusts. A unified approach will address current fragmentation, where legacy systems often hinder the adoption of modern digital solutions. The framework should support local flexibility to accommodate for departmental needs, workforce capabilities, and existing infrastructure, while ensuring compatibility across regions and institutions, avoiding duplication of efforts, and enhancing efficiency. Measurable outcomes should be set, with clearly defined success indicators such as adoption rates, interoperability benchmarks, and reductions in processing times.
3. Stakeholder engagement For digital pathology to be successfully integrated into clinical practice, it is crucial to actively engage front-line healthcare workers - particularly histopathologists, biomedical scientists, and laboratory staff – in the entire process of design, development, and procurement. These professionals possess deep insights into the challenges and opportunities within current histopathology workflows, making their involvement essential in shaping the systems that meet clinical needs. By involving them from the outset, the NHS can ensure that the technology aligns with real-world requirements, enhances clinical outcomes, and promotes smoother adoption by users. This approach also allows for a whole-service redesign that integrates digital tools into everyday histopathology workflows, boosting both diagnostic efficiency and accuracy.
4. Adopt a dual approach We must avoid automating a bad process, and therefore a complete service re-design may be required to see the full benefit of innovative digital solutions. A coordinated, dual bottom-up and top- down approach promotes a balanced pathway for the adoption of digital pathology. This strategy combines on-the- ground expertise to encourage practical, user-driven solutions (bottom-up) and leadership, standardisation, funding, and policy frameworks from a unified national force (top-down). By integrating both approaches, the NHS can foster
The National Working Group for Digital Pathology believes adopting digital pathology should be recognised as a fundamental transformation of pathology services, not just a technological upgrade.
an environment where digital pathology initiatives are innovative, scalable, and responsive to local and national needs.
5. Leverage digitisation insights The NHS can draw valuable lessons from the successful digitisation efforts in other medical disciplines. The digitisation of radiology has demonstrated the potential of digital imaging to support remote interpretations, improve multidisciplinary collaboration, and integrate with EHRs. The NHS should apply these lessons to histopathology, particularly by focusing on the importance of robust IT infrastructure, data security, and clear communication channels between departments. Additionally, the experience of overcoming challenges like resistance to change, underutilisation of digital systems, and integration issues can inform the path to smoother, more effective adoption of digital pathology. The digital transformation seen in radiology was widely recognised as an essential evolution of the field, leading to dedicated funding and nationwide collaboration to support its development. Histopathology should be approached with the same level of importance and investment.
6. Utilise the private sector Collaboration with the private sector can provide the expertise, resources, and innovation needed to accelerate the digital transformation of histopathology services. Engaging private companies in the development and provision of digital pathology solutions can relieve pressure on NHS resources and allow for faster deployment and scaling. The private sector can add value to NHS histopathology service delivery via two core channels – bringing innovative solutions for service
WWW.PATHOLOGYINPRACTICE.COM DECEMBER 2024
optimisation and acting as an extension of the NHS laboratory for increasing capacity, creating headspace for the NHS workforce to act on the digital transformation.
7. Secure dedicated funding A successful nationwide rollout of digital pathology will require further significant financial investment, not only for initial equipment and software acquisition but also for ongoing costs such as training, system maintenance, and IT infrastructure. Policymakers must commit to long-term funding (capital and revenue) and ensure that resources are allocated effectively to support both national coordination and local implementation. Crucially, this funding must also account for the costs of supporting NHS Trusts in managing the transition, ensuring that institutions have the necessary resources, including staffing, to integrate digital pathology systems while maintaining high standards of patient care.
References 1 The Royal College of Pathologists. The
pathology workforce. (RCPath, 2022)
www.rcpath.org/discover-pathology/public- affairs/
the-pathology-workforce.html
2 National Health Service. The NHS Long Term Plan. (NHS, 2019)
www.longtermplan.nhs.uk/publication /nhs-long-term-plan/
3 Source LDPath. What is the value of digital pathology for you and your patients? Pathology in Practice, 2023 Dec; 24(8): 18-19
Source LDPath
0115 973 9012
Lucy.Astill@
sourcebioscience.com
www.sourcebioscience.com
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