ASCP 2019: Artificial Intelligence for the Pathology Laboratory

By Dennis Winsten, MS, FHIMSS

Artificial intelligence (AI) used to be a "buzzword," but now it can provide practical tools for pathologists to:

1. Obtain insights about correlations between test results and patient characteristics to aid in providing “personalized medicine,” and
2. More quickly analyze and/or review digital slide images.

Unfortunately, most healthcare databases are unstructured with varying types of data, e.g. Word documents, text, images, scanned documents, etc. and, therefore, difficult to correlate and analyze. AI, by incorporating text analytics and machine learning, allows for a more thorough interrogation of both unstructured and structured data through machine-learned algorithms. 

AI offers laboratories, as the source of the preponderance of clinical data for a patient, to be a major contributor to improved patient care. 

When AI tools correlate, analyze and interpret laboratory data in conjunction with radiological, pharmaceutical, physical examination, patient history and symptomatic data - quicker and better diagnoses and therapies can be prescribed. 

Many current AI applications involve computer-based screening of digital slide images and AI identified anomalies or areas of interest therein. These AI applications are primarily used to as a “2^ndread” to confirm pathologist findings and, if applicable, identify slides requiring follow-up.

On September 12, I will present the session titled, “Artificial Intelligence for the Pathology Laboratory,” during the ASCP 2019 Annual Meeting. I’ll discuss the current "state-of-the art" of artificial intelligence, provide some case examples and identify the potential for its use by pathologists. I hope you’ll join me!

Learn more about education sessions at ASCP 2019 Annual Meeting here.

Dennis Winsten, MS, FHIMSS, will present “Artificial Intelligence for the Pathology Laboratory” on September 12 at the ASCP 2019 Annual Meeting. He is founder of Dennis Winsten & Associates in Tucson, Ariz., which is well known in the healthcare systems industry for its expertise in clinical information systems.