Digital & Computational Pathology - Consultant Histopathologist, UK Academic Medical Center

A consultant histopathologist from a UK academic medical center discusses the implementation of digital pathology in both private practice and the hospital setting. They mention that Leeds has been a leader in digital pathology adoption, and other hospitals have followed their example. The consultant's hospital has started scanning cases, and they also collaborate with digital labs in the private sector. Funding for digital pathology is challenging, and proving cost-effectiveness is difficult. Each hospital has its own budget, and funding must be secured from that budget. Storage of images is also a challenge, as it can be expensive. The consultant's institutions use scanners, image management systems, and data storage. In terms of AI tools, only a few have received approval for diagnostics. The stakeholder discusses the specific implementation of AI tools for prostate adenocarcinoma, and overall, they expect AI tools to be used immediately in private labs and soon in the NHS hospital, pending funding. They believe that digital pathology reduces physical strain and has the potential for cost savings. They estimate the annual cost of digitization to be between £500,000-700,000 and expect the spend on digital pathology to increase significantly in the next five years. The consultant also believes that routine clinical use will continue to dominate, and that the shortage of pathologists is driving the adoption of digital pathology in the UK. They suggest that this shortage may also be a challenge in other countries.