CAPcasts

Few residents receive training in informatics, but almost every laboratory faces informatics challenges. These include installing new software or a new instrument, maintaining privacy, protecting laboratory data security, and more. This fall, the CAP is introducing a new Informatics Case-Based Education (ICBE) program (https://capatholo.gy/3m3lSuz), which is designed to help pathologists get ready to succeed in their careers by providing relevant, practical education on informatics topics they commonly encounter. In this CAPcast interview, Mandy O’Leary, MD, FCAP, a member of the CAP Informatics Committee, explains the value that this program brings to pathologists. Dr. O’Leary worked to develop this new program with Dr. John Sinard, its key architect.

Welcome to the latest episode in this CAPcast special series celebrating the CAP's 75th anniversary. This episode features Drs. Patrick Godbey and Emily Volk. Serving back-to-back terms, Dr. Godbey has been president from 2019 to 2021 and Dr. Volk assumes office this year in 2021. Drs. Godbey and Volk discuss what it’s been like to lead the profession during this historic time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

CAP members can download a PDF of a book commemorating the CAP's 75th anniversary on the CAP's estore (https://capatholo.gy/3DEf6m9), as well as on CAP.org, where a historical timeline is featured highlighting seminal events in the CAP's history (https://capatholo.gy/2YEBtsj).

The incidence of genetic mutations increases with age. Age-related mutations in hematopoietic stem cells in the absence of a hematologic malignancy is termed clonal hematopoiesis, or CH. While CH took the hematology field by storm several years ago, there is increased awareness of the identification of CH not just underlying hematologic neoplasms, but in the background of solid tumors as well, explains Dr. Annette Kim in this CAPcast. Dr. Kim, who is a member of the CAP’s Personalized Healthcare Committee, wrote an article on this topic that was recently posted to the Precision Medicine section of CAP.org (https://capatholo.gy/3A9L8ow).

In this inaugural CAP Advoacy Recap for the month of August we will review the CAP's opposition to a recent VA initiative, take a look at the 3.5 trillion dollar infratructure bill in congress, and we'll sit down with Dr. Jonathan Myles, chair of the Council on Government and Professional Affairs, to discuss what pathologists need to know about the proposed 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

This first episode of the CAPCast series celebrating our 75th anniversary features Drs. Paul Bachner and Paul Raslavicus. Serving back-to-back terms, Dr. Bachner was president from 1999 to 2001 and Dr. Raslavicus was president from 2001 to 2003.

Throughout this discussion, Drs. Bachner and Raslavicus discuss seminal aspects of their presidency, including navigating their leadership transition during 9/11 and the focus on bioterrorism following the terrorist attacks. Dr. Bachner will also discuss how the CAP’s educational focus shifted under his leadership and Dr. Raslavicus will discuss why he’s so passionate about advocacy, and both will offer advice to not only incoming and future CAP leaders, but also pathologists who are early in their careers.

CAP members can download a PDF of a book commemorating the CAP's 75th anniversary on the CAP's estore (https://capatholo.gy/3DEf6m9), as well as on CAP.org, where a historical timeline is featured highlighting seminal events in the CAP's history (https://capatholo.gy/2YEBtsj).

Forty-two percent of physicians reported feeling burned out last year, according to Medscape's 2021 Physician Burnout Report published earlier this year. And not surprisingly, COVID 19 appears to have increased levels of physician burnout. While 69% of physicians said they were somewhat or very happy in 2020 before the pandemic started, this figure fell to 49 percent during the pandemic, according to that same Medscape survey.

Like most physicians, many pathologists find it challenging to balance professional and personal responsibilities. While this balance can be particularly difficult for pathologists early in their careers, there are some methods to improve efficiencies both at home and at work, as Yasmeen Butt, MD, FCAP, and Jaclyn Rudzinski, MD, FCAP discuss in this CAPcast episode.

Value-based payment models continue to evolve to include considerations for quality of care, cost, and population health through a set of evidence-based metrics. As this shift continues, pathologists are challenged to find quantitative ways to demonstrate their value in newer payment structures. In this CAPcast, we’ll be joined again by Diana Cardona MD, FCAP who will be teaching a course at CAP 21 on how Pathologists can demonstrate their impact on overall quality and cost through various quality measures to maximize reimbursement in these programs.

It’s September, Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. It’s also a good opportunity to highlight the important role that Cancer Protocols play in patient care. The CAP Cancer Protocols help ensure that all pathology reports contain necessary data elements to improve patient care. By requiring those specific data elements, synoptic reporting ensures more accurate reports that communicate findings in a clear, standardized format to clinician colleagues, researchers, and other users of the data, explain Barbara Crothers, MD, FCAP, and Uma Krishnamurti, MD, FCAP, in this CAPcast interview. In this episode, both pathologists will discuss how these Cancer Reporting Protocols benefit thousands of CAP member pathologists and other medical professionals by ensuring complete, uniform reporting of malignant tumors.

Gene-editing technologies have been at the forefront of innovation in precision medicine as investigators look for novel ways to treat otherwise refractory inherited diseases, infectious diseases, and cancer. As these technologies are adopted, pathologists will need to consider implications on laboratory medicine and clinical practice, as it is likely to fall to them to identify the mutations to be corrected, to monitor for proper insertion and expression post-infusion, to develop positive controls, and to detect any potentially harmful off-target edits, explain CAP21 instructors Wayne Grody, MD, FCAP, and Alison Cushman-Vokoun, MD, FCAP, in this CAPcast interview.

For more information on CAP21, which will be held as a hybrid event Sept. 25-28, please visit www.capannualmeeting.org. Be sure to follow #cap21 on social media for event updates.

Advances in therapies for lung adenocarcinoma have arisen from advances in biomarker testing. The biomarker testing landscape is evolving quickly, as is its impact on patient care, and pathologists need to keep up current on the field, explains Jeff Chang, MD, FCAP, in this CAPcast interview. Dr. Chang recently wrote an article on this topic for the Precision Medicine section of CAP.org (https://capatholo.gy/3jQmPVS). Dr. Chang is a member of the CAP’s Personalized Healthcare Committee, as well as the Associate Editor of the Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine.