Welcome to PathPulse, the Digital Diagnostic Podcast! In this episode, your host, James Thackeray, speaks with a true trailblazer in the field: Dr. Orly Ardon. Get ready to dive deep into the fascinating and complex journey of adopting digital pathology in the US hospital market.

Transcript: https://lumeadigital.com/adopting-digital-pathology-in-us-hospitals-podcast/

Dr. Ardon, Director of Digital Pathology Operations at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), shares her unparalleled insights from leading one of the world's largest digital pathology operations. From the initial hurdles of building an entirely new digital infrastructure to the incredible horizons of AI and improved patient care, this conversation explores the real-world complexities and immense potential of this transformative technology. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to the digital pathology landscape, you'll gain invaluable perspectives on how institutions are navigating this crucial shift.

Submit questions for our future recordings here: https://lumeadigital.com/ask-a-pathologist-podcast/

Sponsored by the Digital Diagnostic Summit and Lumea.

Step into the evolving landscape of diagnostics with this insightful episode of PathPulse, the Digital Diagnostic Podcast! Host Andy Ivie, Chief Innovation Officer at Lumea and board member of the Digital Diagnostic Summit, sits down with Imogen Fitt, a principal analyst at Signify Research and a leading voice in healthcare technology market analysis.

Imogen brings her unique blend of market expertise and a genuine passion for health tech to unravel the true desires and disconnects in the adoption of digital pathology. From the initial hurdles of transitioning from glass slides to the cutting-edge potential of AI, this conversation dives deep into the perspectives of pathologists on the front lines.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The critical need for comprehensive vendor onboarding and training as a key differentiator in digital pathology adoption.
• The paramount importance of seamless integration and interoperability between digital pathology software, LIS, and EHR systems.
• A realistic look at what AI can achieve in clinical pathology workflows right now, from quality control tools to prognostic AI that identifies genomic biomarkers.
• The ongoing challenges of economic models and reimbursement for AI tools in pathology.
• Key advice for vendors and institutions on how to better meet the needs of pathologists as they scale their digital workflows, including the growing trend of integrating with vendor-neutral archives (VNAs) and enterprise imaging strategies.
• Insights into how digital pathology is poised to enhance equality of access to high-quality pathology services globally.

Imogen shares her bubbly enthusiasm and sharp analysis, making this a must-listen for anyone interested in understanding the practical realities, challenges, and immense potential of digital pathology. Tune in to gain unparalleled insights into how the industry can better support pathologists and unlock the full promise of digital diagnostics!

Transcript: https://lumeadigital.com/digital-pathology-tech-what-pathologists-really-want-podcast/

Submit questions for our future recordings here: https://lumeadigital.com/ask-a-pathologist-podcast/

Sponsored by the Digital Diagnostic Summit and Lumea.

Get ready for an inspiring episode of PathPulse, the Digital Diagnostic Podcast! This month's host, David Dalton, sits down with Dr. Melanie Bourgeau, a surgical pathology fellow at the University of Florida, as they explore the exciting intersection of pathology, digital innovation, and social media outreach.

In this conversation, Dr. Bourgeau shares her unique perspective as a pathologist who's grown up with digital tools. You'll hear about:

• Her extensive fellowship training.
• Why the "learning curve" for digital pathology was virtually nonexistent for her, offering a fresh take on adopting new technology.
• The personal, humorous story that ignited her passion for pathology education on social media, where she's created over 200 posts and videos.
• How COVID-19 unexpectedly fueled her social media engagement and led to valuable collaborations within the pathology community.
• Her insights on how young pathologists are leading the charge in embracing digital innovation and fostering a more collaborative future for the field.
• Empowering advice for anyone looking to enter digital pathology or start sharing their expertise publicly.

Join us as Dr. Bourgeau discusses how digital tools are making pathology more efficient, collaborative, and ultimately, leading to better patient care. You won't want to miss this insightful discussion on "Pathology in Motion"!

Access the transcript here: https://lumeadigital.com/pathology-in-motion-podcast/

Submit questions for our future recordings here: https://lumeadigital.com/ask-a-pathologist-podcast/

Sponsored by the Digital Diagnostic Summit and Lumea.

Step into the future of diagnostics with this enlightening episode of PathPulse, the Digital Diagnostic Podcast! Host James Thackeray welcomes Jay Jhaveri, Senior Director at Pacific Edge Cancer Diagnostics, to unravel the profound impact of genomic testing on personalized pathology.

Jay Jhaveri brings a unique blend of extensive clinical background (including general surgery, urology residency, and multiple fellowships) and industry expertise to this discussion. He'll guide you through the pivotal shift from traditional tissue examination to precision pathology, where genomic and transcriptomic signatures revolutionize diagnoses.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• How genomic insights are enabling more accurate risk stratification and truly tailored patient management.
• Concrete examples of how genomic biomarker tests can predict cancer risk, potentially reducing the need for invasive procedures like cystoscopy.
• The transformative role of urine-based genomic tests, specifically the CxBladder test, in diagnosing and monitoring urothelial cancer.
• The significant impact of the recent 2025 AUA Microhematuria Guideline update, which now endorses urinary biomarker testing for intermediate-risk patients.
• The challenges and breakthroughs in adopting these cutting-edge tools in clinical practice, including EMR integration and workflow optimization.

Jay shares compelling real-world data, including a 59% decrease in unnecessary cystoscopies in a study utilizing CxBladder Triage, and discusses how this innovation empowers both clinicians and patients.

Tune in to understand how genomic insights are not just an addition, but a fundamental reshaping of the pathology landscape and patient care. This is a conversation you won't want to miss if you're interested in the leading edge of precision medicine!

View transcript here: https://lumeadigital.com/genomic-test-role-digital-pathology-podcast/

Submit questions for our future recordings here: https://lumeadigital.com/ask-a-pathologist-podcast/

Sponsored by the Digital Diagnostic Summit and Lumea.

Join us on PathPulse, the Digital Diagnostic Podcast, as we delve into the groundbreaking journey of Dr. Matthew O. Leavitt, a Stanford-trained pathologist and visionary leader in digital pathology. Host James Thackeray sits down with Dr. Leavitt to uncover his relentless pursuit of leveraging digital technologies to revolutionize patient care, particularly in underserved regions.

This episode offers a unique look at:

• The foundational "why" behind Dr. Leavitt's career: a deep-seated desire to connect remote communities to high-level medical expertise, stemming from his own rural upbringing.
• His early, and often challenging, experiences in implementing digital pathology, including a frank discussion about initial missteps and costly lessons.
• The pivotal realization that standardization of pre-analytics (tissue handling) is not just important, but absolutely crucial for effective digital pathology workflows.
• How his companies, Lumea (founded in 2014 for lab workflow efficiency and standardization) and PathNet (a 2020 hub-and-spoke virtual practice extending digital diagnostics to 35 states), are actively addressing these challenges.
• The surprising discovery that Lumea's innovative tissue preservation methods drastically improved molecular testing success rates, going beyond initial expectations.
• Dr. Leavitt's optimistic yet realistic outlook on the future of digital pathology, emphasizing the need for collaborative models and consolidation to overcome economic barriers and accelerate adoption. He discusses the role of his latest endeavor, the DDx Foundation, in fostering cross-sector data exchange and democratizing access to digital diagnostics.

Hear directly from a true pioneer who's not just talking about the future of pathology, but actively building it, pushing boundaries to enhance diagnostic accuracy, accessibility, and patient care for all.

Full transcript: https://lumeadigital.com/diagnosing-to-disrupting-podcast/

Submit questions for our future recordings here: https://lumeadigital.com/ask-a-pathologist-podcast/

Sponsored by the Digital Diagnostic Summit and Lumea.

Join Bianca Collings on PathPulse: Pathology Innovators in Action as she speaks with Westley (Wes) J. Bernhardt, a true pioneer in digital pathology and Managing Partner of OnePath Diagnostics. Wes is an accomplished operations executive with a remarkable track record of transforming organizations and an early adopter who successfully leveraged digital technology to navigate the challenges of a pathologist shortage, rising costs, and stagnant reimbursements.

In this insightful episode, Wes shares his unique journey, inspired by his pathologist father, from an early career in healthcare benefits to becoming a visionary leader in laboratory medicine. Discover how his diverse background equipped him with an unparalleled understanding of the healthcare ecosystem, from patient insurance struggles to the intricacies of lab operations.

Tune in to hear:

• Wes's personal story of building and scaling Bernhardt Laboratories from a small local practice to a successful regional operation, and the unexpected challenges that led to its acquisition by Aurora Diagnostics.
• The "why" behind OnePath Diagnostics' early commitment to digital pathology, driven by a foresight that technology would eventually catch up to the needs of the industry, as well as a desire to improve pathologists' quality of life.
• How Wes and his team strategically vetted and built their "tech stack," including their choice of Lumea for Image Management System (IMS) and the crucial integration with their Laboratory Information System (LIS).
• The transformative impact of digital pathology on recruiting top talent, enabling pathologists to work remotely and flexibly, freeing them from the "cockpit" of traditional microscopy.
• Why operational efficiency and automating 85-90% of daily tasks were paramount in their digital adoption, focusing on routine workflow over "bells and whistles."
• Wes's candid advice for navigating the leap into digital pathology, stressing the importance of thorough vetting, making tough decisions, and trusting your vision, even when it means being "uncomfortable."

This episode is a must-listen for anyone in the healthcare industry seeking to understand how bold leadership, strategic innovation, and a focus on improving daily operations can lead to exponential growth and a better future for pathology.

Podcast transcript: https://lumeadigital.com/microscope-to-monitor-podcast/

Submit questions for our future recordings here: https://lumeadigital.com/ask-a-pathologist-podcast/

Sponsored by the Digital Diagnostic Summit and Lumea.

Welcome to PathPulse: Pathology Innovators in Action! In this episode, James Thackeray is joined by Dr. Liron Pantanowitz, the Maud L. Menten Professor and Chair of the Department of Pathology at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh. A globally recognized cytopathologist and a pioneer in digital and computational pathology, Dr. Pantanowitz has significantly shaped the field through his work on guidelines for whole slide imaging and AI applications. He's also a past president of both the Digital Pathology Association and the American Society of Cytopathology, and a multi-year honoree on The Pathologist Power List.

In this insightful conversation, Dr. Pantanowitz delves into the crucial, yet often overlooked, barrier to widespread digital pathology adoption: the pathologist's mindset. He candidly discusses how traditional training and ingrained practices create resistance to change, even as technology advances.

Discover:

• Dr. Pantanowitz's three core priorities as Chair of Pathology: caring for people, improving processes, and applying technology to enhance both.
• Why, despite technological advancements and regulatory approvals, digital pathology adoption remains slower than anticipated, and how many common perceived barriers have, in fact, been overcome.
• His compelling mobile phone analogy that helps pathologists understand the long-term benefits of digital pathology, emphasizing portability and the future potential of integrated applications.
• The importance of "walking the walk" and transparently addressing the nuances and challenges of digital adoption, rather than selling an unrealistic "perfect" vision.
• Insights into the pathologist's relationship with AI, addressing concerns about trust, liability, and the practical implementation of diagnostic AI in daily workflows.
• The critical need for "workflow AI" to automate mundane tasks like quality control and inter-departmental correlations, freeing up pathologists for higher-value work.
• Dr. Pantanowitz's powerful closing message: that adaptation is key to survival in an evolving medical landscape, urging pathologists to embrace digital tools for precision care and future relevance.

This episode offers a candid and enlightening perspective on the human element of technological transformation in pathology, providing valuable insights for anyone involved in digital diagnostics.

Transcript: https://lumeadigital.com/shifting-mindsets-towards-digital-pathology-podcast/

Submit questions for our future recordings here: https://lumeadigital.com/ask-a-pathologist-podcast/

Sponsored by the Digital Diagnostic Summit and Lumea.

Join Jake Brown on PathPulse: Pathology Innovators in Action as he welcomes Dr. Margaret Flanagan, a distinguished neuropathologist and the Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio's Distinguished Chair in Alzheimer and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Recognized on The Pathologist's 2024 Power List as an Idol of Innovation, Dr. Flanagan leads a multidisciplinary laboratory focused on understanding dementia mechanisms and developing early detection biomarkers. She's also a founding member of the National Digital Pathology Working Group and co-leads the Biggs Institute Brain Bank.

In this episode, Dr. Flanagan dives deep into the cutting-edge of pathology, exploring what's still missing from digital pathology to truly revolutionize diagnostics and personalized medicine.

You'll gain insight into:

• Digital Spatial Transcriptomics: Dr. Flanagan demystifies this powerful technology, explaining how it adds a crucial spatial dimension to genetic data, enabling researchers to pinpoint disease mechanisms with unprecedented granularity in areas like dementia and cancer. You'll learn how digital pathology is an integral step in its workflow.
• Integrating Multi-Omics Data: Discover the immense potential and current challenges of incorporating diverse molecular data into diagnostic workflows. Dr. Flanagan passionately discusses how personalized medicine for dementia, where co-existing brain pathologies are the norm, critically depends on these multi-omic insights.
• The "Perfect World" Scenario: Envision a future where highly accurate, validated biomarkers (like plasma tau and eye scans) combine with spatial omics to deliver tailored therapies to patients years before memory problems begin, addressing specific combinations of brain pathologies.
• Cost and Accessibility as Hurdles: Dr. Flanagan highlights the need for greater accessibility to expensive multi-omics platforms for researchers and clinicians. 

This conversation is essential for anyone interested in the bleeding edge of pathology, biomarker development, and the future of personalized medicine. Dr. Flanagan's expertise offers a compelling vision for how digital pathology, when combined with advanced molecular techniques, can unlock new possibilities in diagnosis and treatment.

Transcript: https://lumeadigital.com/whats-missing-from-digital-pathology-podcast/

Submit questions for our future recordings here: https://lumeadigital.com/ask-a-pathologist-podcast/

Sponsored by the Digital Diagnostic Summit and Lumea.

Join James Thackeray, head of the Digital Diagnostic Summit board, on PathPulse: Pathology Innovators in Action as he interviews Andy Ivie, Chief Technology Officer at Lumea. Andy, a software expert who began his digital pathology journey in 2013, offers a unique, behind-the-scenes perspective on the evolution and future of this transformative field.

In this episode, Andy shares his insights on:

- Over a decade of significant changes in digital pathology software: From the early days of room-sized scanners and local image viewers to today's compact, reliable scanners and efficient cloud-based web applications that enable remote diagnosis.
- The true drivers for adopting digital pathology (beyond AI): Andy highlights critical, often overlooked benefits such as improved pathologist efficiency, enhanced viewing capabilities (seeing more of the slide at once), simplified lab logistics, faster turnaround times, and significant cost reductions in glass management and shipping.
- The power of workflow AI: Discover how AI is already making pathologists more effective by helping them navigate complex cases, perform calculations, and streamline documentation.
- Lumea's innovative approach to AI integration: Andy discusses Lumea's role as a platform for accessing various AI tools, emphasizing the current need for human supervision in diagnostic AI, akin to self-driving cars, while acknowledging its immense potential for future applications.
- Exciting recent developments: Hear about Lumea's groundbreaking auto-registration side-by-side viewer (DxAlign), which precisely aligns multiple levels and stains of tissue for enhanced efficiency and confidence. Andy also shares the "unsexy but satisfying" advancements in backend technology that make cloud-based digital pathology incredibly fast and efficient.

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone interested in the practicalities and technological innovations driving digital pathology forward, offering a clear vision from a software expert at the forefront of the field.

Transcript: https://lumeadigital.com/top-reasons-to-embrace-digital-pathology/

Submit questions for our future recordings here: https://lumeadigital.com/ask-a-pathologist-podcast/

Sponsored by the Digital Diagnostic Summit and Lumea.

Welcome to PathPulse: Pathology Innovators in Action! In this episode, Jake Brown speaks with Dr. Lewis Hassell, Director of Anatomic Pathology at The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and a pioneering educator in digital pathology. Board-certified in Cytopathology and Anatomic/Clinical Pathology, Dr. Hassell leads the Open Pathology Education Network (OPEN), a transformative initiative providing digital education to pathologists in underserved regions, including pilot programs in Vietnam.

This episode delves into Dr. Hassell’s profound insights on how digital pathology can solve critical access-to-care issues, both domestically and internationally, by addressing the persistent challenges of pathologist supply and quality.

Discover:

• Dr. Hassell’s compelling personal journey: From driving through snowstorms for frozen sections in rural U.S. practice to witnessing early 1900s-level medical equipment in Vietnam, underscoring his passion for extending high-quality diagnostic services globally.
• The evolution of digital pathology as a teaching resource: Learn how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital slides and remote learning technologies, transforming pathology education from a “knee-to-knee” model to a globally accessible, asynchronous training regimen.
• Groundbreaking pilot programs: Hear about OPEN’s highly successful pilot in Da Nang, Vietnam, where a digital education program dramatically increased diagnostic accuracy from 65% to over 95% among local pathologists supporting a gynecologic oncology tumor board.
• The vision for accelerated training: Dr. Hassell explains how structured, self-study digital materials can drastically cut down learning curves for trainees (e.g., mastering GI polyps in two weeks instead of six to eight months), potentially accelerating the production of competent pathologists worldwide.
• Overcoming the “Mindset” Hurdle: Dr. Hassell argues that the biggest barrier to widespread digital pathology adoption isn’t economic or technical, but a prevailing “mindset” of both users and providers, hindering the free sharing and embrace of digital tools.
• A hopeful glimpse into the future: Envision a world 10-20 years from now where enhanced training and AI utilization ensure every patient, anywhere, has ready access to the best quality diagnostic information and care, akin to the dramatic transformation seen in global communication.

This powerful conversation highlights the immense potential of digital pathology to not only enhance individual practice but to fundamentally reshape global healthcare accessibility and outcomes.

Transcript: https://lumeadigital.com/digital-pathology-access-to-care-podcast/

Submit questions for our future recordings here: https://lumeadigital.com/ask-a-pathologist-podcast/

Sponsored by the Digital Diagnostic Summit and Lumea.