Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 31, 2026

Introduction of an Integrated Pathology Image Management, Artificial Intelligence, and Reporting System
05:33

Introduction of an Integrated Pathology Image Management, Artificial Intelligence, and Reporting System

Published on: July 11, 2025

Interinstitutional pathology consultations. A reassessment

Michele M Weir1, E Jan, Terence J Colgan

  • 1Department of Pathology, London Health Sciences Centre, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.

American Journal of Clinical Pathology
|September 25, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Interinstitutional pathology consultations (IPCs) can reveal diagnostic discrepancies. While most IPCs are concordant, a small percentage significantly impact patient management, highlighting the value of these consultations.

Area of Science:

  • Pathology
  • Medical Diagnostics
  • Clinical Decision Making

Background:

  • Interinstitutional pathology consultations (IPCs) are crucial for verifying diagnoses.
  • Assessing the clinical impact of IPCs is essential for optimizing diagnostic workflows.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To retrospectively evaluate the clinical impact of 1,000 randomly selected IPCs.
  • To determine the frequency and reasons for diagnostic discrepancies identified through IPCs.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 1,000 randomly selected IPCs, including all patient specimens.
  • Classification of IPCs as concordant or discordant, with discordant cases further analyzed for clinical impact and reasons for discrepancy.

Main Results:

  • 92.3% of IPCs were concordant; 6.8% were discordant.
  • Of discordant IPCs, 37 had a clinical impact, often due to interpretation differences (e.g., overdiagnosis, underdiagnosis, or stage changes).
  • Reasons for discordance included interpretation differences, additional sectioning, ancillary testing, and clerical errors.

Conclusions:

  • IPCs can identify significant diagnostic discrepancies that influence patient management.
  • The clinical impact of IPCs varies by body site, suggesting potential for targeted consultation strategies.
  • While mandatory IPCs ensure discrepancy identification, alternative strategies like targeted IPCs warrant further investigation.

Related Concept Videos

Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model01:15

Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model

The case management model is a multidisciplinary approach that involves healthcare professionals from diverse disciplines, such as physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, and pharmacists, working collaboratively to address the various needs of patients. Each healthcare professional brings unique expertise and perspectives, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the patient's condition and tailoring treatment plans accordingly.
For example, a patient with a chronic illness...
Community Based Intervention01:30

Community Based Intervention

Community-based interventions in mental health represent a paradigm shift from institution-centered care to treatments embedded within the fabric of local communities. By prioritizing inclusion and leveraging existing societal structures, this approach fosters a supportive environment conducive to addressing mental health challenges while promoting individual dignity and agency.
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care01:27

Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is characterized by narrowed arteries that diminish blood flow to the extremities. Effective management of PAD requires an interprofessional approach involving various healthcare professionals. The critical aspects of interprofessional care for PAD patients focus on risk factor modification, drug therapy, exercise therapy, nutrition therapy, critical limb ischemia care, and interventional radiology and surgical procedures.The primary treatment goal for PAD...
Psychosurgery01:30

Psychosurgery

Psychosurgery, the surgical alteration or permanent removal of brain tissue to alleviate severe psychological conditions, stands as one of the most radical and controversial treatments in the history of mental health care. Its development and application have evolved significantly, marked by dramatic shifts in scientific understanding and ethical perspectives.
Historical Development of Psychosurgery
In the 1930s, Portuguese neurologist Antonio Egas Moniz introduced a surgical procedure designed...
Methods of Documentation III: PIE01:21

Methods of Documentation III: PIE

Problem-intervention-evaluation (PIE) is a systematic approach to documentation used in healthcare settings for clinical decision-making and patient care planning. It is a structured approach to organizing patient data based on problems, interventions, and evaluations. Here's a breakdown of its key features and considerations:
Healthcare Agencies II01:17

Healthcare Agencies II

There are various healthcare agencies in the United States—some of which are managed by religious institutions and others by different government branches.
Parish nursing is a growing specialty nursing profession that focuses on holistic healthcare, health promotion, and illness prevention. It blends professional nursing practice with a health ministry, focusing on health and healing within the context of a Christian community. Parish nurses serve as health educators, referral sources, and lay...