A Feasibility Study of Multisite Networked Digital Pathology Reporting in England

Area of Science:

• Digital pathology
• Histopathology reporting
• Medical technology adoption

Background:

• Feasibility study of a networked digital histopathology reporting platform in Southwest England.
• Pilot project conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020).
• Funded by the National Health Service (NHS) Peninsula Cancer Alliance.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate the feasibility of a single-networked digital histopathology reporting platform.
• Assess pathologists' perceptions and experiences with digital pathology technology.
• Inform future service development planning for digital pathology.

Main Methods:

• Remote reporting of 500 digital slides (gastrointestinal, skin, gynecological specimens) across multiple NHS sites.
• Comparison of digital diagnoses with traditional glass slide diagnoses.
• Post-project questionnaire assessing user perceptions of the digital platform.

Main Results:

• Nine significant diagnostic discrepancies identified among 500 cases, primarily related to *Helicobacter pylori* recognition.
• Pathologists found the platform easy to use with acceptable image quality.
• Concerns raised regarding reporting speed, diagnostic confidence, and suitability for certain specimen types.
• Strong agreement on digital pathology's potential to enhance access to expertise, teaching, and multidisciplinary meetings.

Conclusions:

• Pathologists generally developed a positive perception of digital pathology.
• Users expressed a desire to continue using digital pathology for a significant portion of their workload.
• The study highlights the potential of digital pathology to improve healthcare services, despite implementation challenges.