Matt Cullen | Know Pathology Know Healthcare https://knowpathology.com.au The engine room of healthcare explained Tue, 22 Aug 2023 08:12:46 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://knowpathology.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KPKH_Favicon-32x32.png Matt Cullen | Know Pathology Know Healthcare https://knowpathology.com.au 32 32 What is telepathology? https://knowpathology.com.au/what-is-telepathology/ Thu, 19 May 2022 05:56:52 +0000 https://knowpathology.com.au/?p=7023 How does telepathology work? Telepathology is the term given to practising pathology from a distance, and involves the electronic transfer of digital pathology images for the purposes of diagnosis, education, and research. Digital pathology is a subfield of pathology where pathologists are able to analyse and diagnose disease through the use of information generated from digitised … Continue reading What is telepathology?

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How does telepathology work? Telepathology is the term given to practising pathology from a distance, and involves the electronic transfer of digital pathology images for the purposes of diagnosis, education, and research.

Digital pathology is a subfield of pathology where pathologists are able to analyse and diagnose disease through the use of information generated from digitised specimen slides.

History of telepathology

The word was first coined by academic pathologist Dr Ronald S. Weinstein M.D., in 1986 in reference to remote pathology diagnostics services in the form of a dynamic-robot telepathology system. One of the first clinical telepathology services was established in 1989 in Norway by Nordrum and Eide.

Applications of telepathology

Telepathology can be used in a range of settings including consultation, diagnosis, documentation and medical education. It enables rapid access to experts, image sharing and second opinions. Telepathology allows for off-site pathologists to provide their services where it would otherwise be difficult, including immediate consultations with subspecialty pathologists such as renal pathologists (specialising in kidney health), neuropathologists (specialising in the brain and nervous system) and dermatopathologists (specialising in skin conditions).

How telepathology images are transferred?

There are currently three main ways to transfer digital pathology images in telepathology. These consist of the transfer of small static images, real-time imaging, or the transfer of whole slide imaging (WSI). WSI refers to the scanning of conventional glass slides in order to produce digital slides.

Digital pathology technology can also provide anatomical pathologists the opportunity to immediately access frozen sections for diagnosis where they are not able to be present with the physical samples.

Frozen sections are used primarily during surgery where a surgeon removes tissue from the patient, which is then rapidly frozen, sliced very finely and placed on slides for examination under a microscope by an anatomical pathologist. This takes place while the patient is still in the operating theatre. This allows the pathologist to provide vital information to the surgeon, for example whether all of a cancerous tumour has been removed or if the surgeon needs to cut away further malignant tissue.

How telepathology improves patient care?

Telepathology as a remote pathology system, has the power to ensure that patients always have access to pathology experts and therefore rapid and accurate diagnoses. The technology saves lives by providing healthcare practitioners with information that can be used to make life-saving decisions in real-time. The shortening of the timeline for receiving results means that diagnoses can be made earlier and disease states can be prevented from progressing further.

Telepathology also ensures that excellent care is being provided for patients living in remote areas with otherwise poor access to pathologists. With the ability to provide medical advice and consultations from afar, telepathology is changing the possibilities of life-saving medical efforts globally. Thousands of patients across the world from Asia, Europe and North America have benefited from telepathology services.

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How long will it take to get my pathology test results? https://knowpathology.com.au/how-long-will-it-take-to-get-my-pathology-test-results/ Tue, 17 May 2022 07:19:55 +0000 https://knowpathology.com.au/?p=7022 After a pathology sample has been collected by a phlebotomist or pathology collector, which is the health worker responsible for collecting biological samples for testing, the sample will be sent to a laboratory. How long it takes for your healthcare professional to receive your pathology results, also known as the test’s ‘turnaround time’, will vary … Continue reading How long will it take to get my pathology test results?

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After a pathology sample has been collected by a phlebotomist or pathology collector, which is the health worker responsible for collecting biological samples for testing, the sample will be sent to a laboratory. How long it takes for your healthcare professional to receive your pathology results, also known as the test’s ‘turnaround time’, will vary depending on the type of pathology test that is requested and the circumstances. Non-urgent tests might be placed on the next available routine run which can be on the same or the following day. Typically, your pathology results can be expected within 2-3 days.

Urgent tests may in some cases take only a few minutes to process, with results available within 24 hours. Some pathology tests on the other hand can take days or weeks, such as specialised tests, culturing bacteria or samples being sent overseas.

In most cases you will need to discuss test results with the healthcare professional who ordered your tests, so you may need to wait a little after the pathology lab has processed your tests in order to receive results during a medical consultation.

The process for receiving your test results and how long it takes may vary depending on the type of test you are having, your pathology provider and the protocols of the healthcare service referring you for the test. You can ask your healthcare professional about their procedures and can ask when tests are ordered for you how long the results are likely to take.

Point Of Care testing

Point of care testing is when the pathology tests are performed where healthcare is near or at the site of patient care. This provides results immediately which can be used in determining patient care for those who are critically ill in intensive care and emergency units or in rural and remote communities with less access to a pathology laboratory.

Getting a copy of your pathology results

You are legally entitled to a copy of your pathology results if you request it. However, your healthcare practitioner will be experienced in understanding and interpreting the results, therefore it’s important for them to provide insight into what they mean for your wellbeing. To get a copy of your results, simply request them from your healthcare practitioner when you discuss the results with them.

You may also be able to obtain a copy of your test results by contacting the relevant pathology laboratory directly if needed. Some laboratories may approach releasing results to patients differently, including notifying your healthcare practitioner of this request. This is because pathology results can sometimes be confusing, difficult to interpret or potentially even distressing depending on the context.

If your results are late

If your results are late, do not fret. The time it takes for pathology samples to be processed can vary. Non-urgent samples may run in later batches, and further investigations or second opinions may cause the results to be delayed further. A complex cancer investigation, for example, may take weeks to process. Other times, samples may be tested multiple times or in specialist labs.

If you have not received your results, you may want to contact your healthcare practitioner to understand when you should expect them and ask any further questions you may have.

If you want your specimen back

Once a pathology laboratory processes or analyses a sample, it becomes their property. If you would like the specimen returned, however, you are able to request the lab to return it.

To do this, speak to your healthcare professional or relevant laboratory. Pathology laboratories will generally retain specimens for a period time ranging from several days to decades, which is specified by law. After this period, they will destroy the sample for privacy and hygiene reasons unless you request for the sample to be returned. The laboratory may charge a fee for the sample’s retrieval and processing procedures.

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How Does a Pathologist Help Us? https://knowpathology.com.au/how-does-a-pathologist-help-us/ Fri, 08 Apr 2022 07:10:56 +0000 https://knowpathology.com.au/?p=7016 A pathologist is a medical practitioner that specialises in the study of the cause of disease and how these diseases affect the human body. Their role involves the examination of samples of tissue, blood and other bodily fluids. There are many kinds of specialisations within pathology, these include: Blood banking and transfusions Chemical pathology Clinical … Continue reading How Does a Pathologist Help Us?

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A pathologist is a medical practitioner that specialises in the study of the cause of disease and how these diseases affect the human body. Their role involves the examination of samples of tissue, blood and other bodily fluids. There are many kinds of specialisations within pathology, these include:

  • Blood banking and transfusions
  • Chemical pathology
  • Clinical informatics
  • Cytopathology
  • Dermatopathology
  • Forensic pathology
  • Haematology
  • Molecular genetic pathology
  • Neuropathology
  • Paediatric pathology

Pathologists can be found in many health settings, including public and private hospitals and clinics, independent laboratories, and other medical and research facilities. The significant role that pathologists play in our healthcare system means that their work helps us every day – when you’re getting a skin biopsy checked, having a throat swab when you’re sick, or taking part in a national screening program for disease such as for cervical cancer or bowel cancer.

How pathology saves lives

Pathology plays a critical role in informing medical decisions and treatment plans every day. Timely results can save countless lives through the early detection of diseases and medical conditions, especially cancer. Cancer diagnoses are confirmed through pathology investigations, meaning that pathology is a vital tool for healthcare practitioners to provide appropriate care to their patients. In disease progression, pathology is also used to help monitor disease states and determine how to best manage various health conditions for a better quality of life.

Pathology’s contribution to the fight against cancer

All cases of cancer are diagnosed via pathology testing, including the diagnosis of cervical cancer, blood cancer and bowel cancer.

Australia has one of the best cervical cancer screening programs in the world, and consequently the lowest rate of cervical cancer globally. Cervical cancer symptoms often appear at the later stages of disease progression, which is why screening is so important. Estimates suggest that pathology screening methods for cervical cancer (combined with the HPV vaccination program) could reduce cervical cancer rates in Australia by as much as 20%.

Prostate cancer is also one of the most diagnosed cancers in Australian men, with pathology testing playing a vital role in the early detection of this disease via (prostate specific antigen) PSA testing.

Similarly, the National Bowel Cancer Screening program is essential in the early diagnosis of bowel cancer. The program uses a self-collected faecal sample that is sent to a laboratory to detect blood in faeces, which can be an early sign of bowel cancer, or another bowel issue. Anyone testing positive will be referred for further investigations. To diagnose bowel cancer a biopsy can be removed during an exploratory colonoscopy and be examined by a pathologist under a microscope, who determines whether cancerous cells are present in the patient’s sample.

Recognition of pathology

Pathology is also directly linked to chronic disease management, with the results of pathology tests used to diagnose and treat conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, heart attacks and cirrhosis of the liver. For example, in Australia, 30% of adults have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and it is set to become one of our most prevalent chronic diseases in the near future. One aspect of pathology here is that a new blood test may provide a safer, relatively pain-free alternative to liver biopsy for some people living with chronic liver disease.

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The Value of Pathology Throughout COVID-19 https://knowpathology.com.au/the-value-of-pathology-throughout-covid-19/ Fri, 08 Apr 2022 07:06:51 +0000 https://knowpathology.com.au/?p=7015 Pathology is the cornerstone of patient diagnosis and underpins the Australian healthcare system as a whole. Due to its hardworking teams of pathologists, laboratory managers, technicians and assistants, medical scientists, pathology collectors, and couriers who transport the samples, pathology greatly improves the Australian healthcare system. In turn, patients accessing the services are better able to … Continue reading The Value of Pathology Throughout COVID-19

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Pathology is the cornerstone of patient diagnosis and underpins the Australian healthcare system as a whole. Due to its hardworking teams of pathologists, laboratory managers, technicians and assistants, medical scientists, pathology collectors, and couriers who transport the samples, pathology greatly improves the Australian healthcare system. In turn, patients accessing the services are better able to live healthier lives.

Access to pathology tests is vital for individual patient care and optimising health outcomes. It also allows for cost-effective decisions to be made in disease prevention and in combating diseases before they become chronic or life-long. It is a highly utilised service, with around  half the Australian population undergoing at least one pathology test every year.

Australia’s pathology workforce consists of around 35,000people who collect, process and report on a huge 500 million pathology tests each year.

Pathology is not only valuable in investigating diseases, but also in screening for such diseases regularly. National screening programmes such as the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP), or the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP) have successfully reduced the rates of severe bowel cancer and cervical cancer in the Australian population. For example, regular Cervical Screening Tests (CSTs) in Australia have massively reduced the incidence of cervical cancer by at least 50% in women over the age of 25.

Investing in pathology gives significant returns to the population. Quick turnaround times for pathology investigations means pathology teams can utilise test results to faster make decisions about the next steps of a treatment pathway, increasing healthcare sector productivity and minimising the impact of an illness on a patient’s life. Pathology services in Australia are amongst the highest quality and the most accessible in the world for patients.

The value of pathology testing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the value of pathology has never been more abundantly clear to both the general public and healthcare workers. PCR testing (polymerase chain reaction) allows pathology teams to test for the COVID-19 virus via a simple swab, and genomic testing is used to identify new strains of the virus as they develop and to track which variants are spreading in the community.

As a result of the pandemic, there has been investment in pathology testing technology and infrastructure. This can also be used to test for a number of other diseases, holding huge value looking toward the future of pathology testing.

Clinical value of pathology tests

Pathology tests hold significant value to the Australian healthcare sector and to healthcare practitioners in disease diagnosis and monitoring. Pathology tests are associated with more than 70% of clinical diagnosis, including all cancer diagnoses. Further to that, 20% of pathology tests that are requested serve the purpose of monitoring and managing disease, allowing healthcare practitioners to make treatment decisions based on pathology test results. These pathology tests can also help determine whether treatments such as drug therapies are working for the patient. Of all tests ordered, 13% of pathology tests are used for this purpose.

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Learn About Your Pathology Tests https://knowpathology.com.au/learn-about-your-pathology-tests/ Fri, 08 Apr 2022 07:04:22 +0000 https://knowpathology.com.au/?p=7014 What is a pathology test? A pathology test is the testing of bodily tissues or fluids such as blood, urine, or faeces to determine the presence of a disease or to investigate it further. Pathology is the study of disease, including its causes and progression. When you are sick or need to be screened for … Continue reading Learn About Your Pathology Tests

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What is a pathology test?

A pathology test is the testing of bodily tissues or fluids such as blood, urine, or faeces to determine the presence of a disease or to investigate it further. Pathology is the study of disease, including its causes and progression.

When you are sick or need to be screened for an illness, the results of your pathology tests will usually be used to diagnose a health condition and decide your treatment plan, or to let you know that no disease is present. While your healthcare provider will take care of this process for you, you may want to understand what to expect and why you need the test.

There are many reasons to have a pathology test, including but not limited to, treating or monitoring disease, preventing diseases, assessing the risk of developing a disease and aiding medical research. If you have been ordered to have a pathology test by your doctor, it is usually for one of these reasons.

Processing pathology tests involves a range of professionals who help inform healthcare practitioners to make the best choices for their patients every day. These include pathologists, laboratory managers, technicians and assistants, medical scientists, phlebotomists who collect the pathology samples, and couriers who transport the samples.

Different kinds of pathology tests

There are a great variety of pathology tests that can be ordered by your GP or doctor, including blood, urine, faeces, and bodily tissues tests. These detect a range of disease and health conditions. Some of the more common pathology tests you may come across are:

However, not all pathology tests are carried out with the end goal of investigating disease. Some of them may be regular screening tests which form parts of national screening programs, such as the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program or the National Cervical Screening Program in Australia. These programs work to conduct pathology tests regularly in order to ensure disease is picked up in its early stages. This means that it can be treated earlier, and have better health outcomes for patients.

Why do I need to have a blood test?

A blood test may be ordered for a number of reasons by your doctor. For example, a screening test may be offered to you if you have reached an age where you are more at risk of disease. If you have symptoms, your doctor might order a blood test to find out the cause. Even a negative or normal test result can help your doctor by ruling out some conditions and guiding further investigation of your symptoms.

A good example of this is a full blood count, which is a common test that is ordered to assess you for a wide range of illnesses, infections, and diseases. The test will give your doctor information about the number and condition of cells in your blood that fluctuate with your immune response, such as red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Abnormalities in the concentration of these cells can indicate conditions such as anaemia, infections, or blood cancers.

It is important to make sure you have the pathology tests that your doctor has advised but if you are unsure why tests are needed, you can always ask your doctor to explain what the test is for.

Can I get my pathology results online?

You may be able to access your pathology results online, but only after your GP has discussed them with you.

How you receive your test results will depend on the type of test you are having, your pathology provider and the protocols of the healthcare professional referring you for the test.

In most cases, your doctor will be the first to receive your pathology test results, and they will then be able to go through them with you in detail to explain what your results mean for you and your health.

My Health Record is the national digital health record platform for Australia. If you have registered with the platform, you will be able to access your pathology results online seven days after your doctor unless you have specified otherwise.

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How to Work in Pathology in Australia https://knowpathology.com.au/how-to-work-in-pathology-in-australia/ Thu, 31 Mar 2022 06:28:25 +0000 https://knowpathology.com.au/?p=7012 A career in the Australian pathology sector is a great choice for any person, due to the interesting, evolving work involved, and the positive work–life balance it brings. The need for pathologists and pathology workers is always growing, particularly right now due to the pandemic. In Australia, the pathology sector is currently made up of … Continue reading How to Work in Pathology in Australia

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A career in the Australian pathology sector is a great choice for any person, due to the interesting, evolving work involved, and the positive work–life balance it brings. The need for pathologists and pathology workers is always growing, particularly right now due to the pandemic. In Australia, the pathology sector is currently made up of an ageing workforce, with over one third of the workforce being older than 55 years (36.6%), therefore the eagerness for young people to choose pathology as a career is high as ever.

A career in pathology involves working in clinical settings as a medical professional. Examples of pathology sector professions are working as a pathologist, a pathology assistant, a medical scientist, a laboratory technician and as a pathology collector.

Pathology workplaces vary depending on what role in the pathology sector you choose to work in. From hospitals to community medical clinics, research institutes, government locations and private industries, choosing pathology as a profession offers a lot of variety.

Working in pathology also requires skills such as being precise and reliable, as patient livelihoods are reliant on pathology test results. Furthermore, working with samples such as blood, urine, bodily tissues and fluids, means that a strong stomach is preferable!

Finding a job in pathology currently requires further post-graduate study at either a university or TAFE institute, with time commitments varying based on the chosen course. There are a number of pathologist courses available, with twenty-six institutions in Australia offering courses in the sector.

How to become a pathologist in Australia

There are several steps to becoming a pathologist which involve enrolment in a university course. In Australia, you must be qualified as a medical doctor prior to becoming a pathologist. The career pathway consists of the following five steps which need to be taken in this order:

  • Pre-medical bachelor’s degree (~3 years)
  • Studying either a Doctor of Osteopathy degree or a Medical Doctor degree (~4 years)
  • Internship (~1 year)
  • Residency (~1–3 years)
  • Specialty training with an accredited pathologist (~5 years)

After successfully completing speciality training with an accredited pathologist, you can begin practising in the field as a pathologist.

According to The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) in a 2018 study, 1,924 people made up the Australian pathology workforce, with a growth rate of 4.5% per annum.

How to become a pathology assistant in Australia

To become a pathology assistant in Australia, a course related to pathology or a specific certificate such as a Certificate III in Pathology Assistance needs to be completed.

There are many certificates and diplomas for different roles within pathology, which differ between universities and states in Australia. To find appropriate courses appropriate for what you want to pursue in pathology, contact your local education institutes for more information.

The role of a pathology assistants involves conducting daily tests on samples in a pathology laboratory or other medical settings. Preparing samples, performing tests, and writing reports make up the day-to-day workload of a pathology assistant, and no one day is the same. It is an interesting job in an ever-evolving work environment.

 

Resources:

TAFE NSW: https://www.tafensw.edu.au/article/-/blogs/how-to-get-a-job-in-pathology

PostgradAustralia: https://postgradaustralia.com.au/graduate-certificate-or-diploma-of-pathology

Holmesglen: https://holmesglen.edu.au/Courses/Community-and-Health-Sciences/Pathology-and-Laboratory-Testing/Certificate-III-in-Pathology-Collection/

RCPA, The 2018 Pathology Workforce Study: https://www.rcpa.edu.au/getattachment/4a38b4f9-5f6a-45eb-8947-dfa072797685/APW.aspx

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