CAPcasts

In June 2023 the American Medical Association held its annual meeting in Chicago. Physicians across the nation gathered to discuss issues regarding their specialty and the field of medicine as a whole. We sat down with Joe Sanfrancesco, MD, FCAP, to recap some of the highlights from the event.

Platelet refractoriness can be life-threatening for thrombocytopenic patients. Penn State Health pathologist Melissa George, DO, FCAP, and pediatrician Sarah Kesterson, MD, authored the new Clinical Pathology Improvement Program course on this topic. In this CAPcast, they discuss how narrowing the differential diagnosis for poor platelet transfusion response is critical to guide appropriate management and product selection.

Pop culture's fascination with forensic science is fueled by TV shows and movies like "CSI," "Law & Order," etc. They offer the general public front-row access to otherwise off-limits crime scenes, autopsies, and trials. The entertainment value and popularity of these shows are undeniable, but their accuracy is up for debate.

We asked three real-life forensic pathologists to watch an episode of the ABC show “Body of Proof” and fact-check the truth from the fiction. Members of the CAP's Forensic Pathology Committee, Michelle Aurelius, MD, FCAP, Jonathan Eisenstat, MD, FCAP, and Natasha Grandhi, MD, FCAP, joined us for the first in a series of CAPcasts where pathologists react to how forensic scientists are portrayed in TV and film.

This month, we'll review some of the highlights from the annual AMA meeting in Chicago, look at why the CAP is opposing a name change for cytotechnologists, and more.

Joseph Sirintrapun, MD, FCAP, and Jochen Lennerz, MD, PhD, FCAP discuss implementing digital pathology at Massachusetts General Hospital and creating the Pathology Innovation Collaborative Community (PIcc). Dr. Lennerz shares the challenges and easy wins Massachusetts General experienced during the process, where he sees digital pathology heading in the next 5 to 10 years, and the importance of regulatory science. This episode is part of a series of conversations featuring institutions at varying degrees of digital pathology implementation.

Joseph Sirintrapun, MD, FCAP and Sam Terese, president and CEO of Alverno Laboratories, talk about the implementation of digital pathology in an integrated laboratory network. Sam shares the challenges and easy wins Alverno experienced during the process and where he sees digital pathology heading in the next 5 to 10 years. This episode is the second in a series of conversations featuring institutions at varying degrees of digital pathology implementation.

This month, we'll talk about the CAP's communication with CMS on surprise billing, efforts to pin Medicare pay to the inflation index, and more.

Joseph Sirintrapun, MD, FCAP, and Matthew Hanna, MD, FCAP talk about the implementation of digital pathology at their institution, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. They talk about the challenges and easy wins they experienced during the process and where they see digital pathology heading in the next 5 to 10 years. This episode is the first in a series of conversations featuring institutions at varying degrees of digital pathology implementation.

The Cancer Protocols help ensure that all pathology reports contain the necessary data elements for optimal patient care. Cancer registries also depend on the protocols for accurate standardized data collection.

Lara Harik, MD, FCAP, a pathologist at Emory University Hospital sits down with Mildred Jones, Certified Tumor Registrar and liaison for the National Cancer Registrars Association for the CAP Cancer Committee to talk about the basics of cancer registries.

This month, we'll look at the FDA's newest proposal on blood donations, as well as plans from the CMS to improve hospital equity. Later we will be sitting down with Dr. Victoria Jones and Dr. Eric Loo of Dartmouth Health to talk with them about their experience at this year's Pathologist Leadership Summit.