Case triage model for the practice of telepathology.

OBJECTIVE

To implement and evaluate a practice model for telepathology.

METHODS

A case triage practice model was devised in which general pathologists review all cases and refer them to subspecialists only when necessary. In 1993, the Arizona-International Telemedicine Network (AITN), a high-resolution static imaging telepathology diagnostic network, linking six sites to the University of Arizona in Tucson, began testing the model. Work flow through the network was analyzed, and diagnostic concordance was assessed in 150 surgical cases by comparing the diagnoses of the referring (transmitting) pathologists with diagnoses of the consulting (receiving) telepathologists as well as by comparing the referring pathologists' diagnoses with the consensus diagnoses reached by an independent review panel. Data analysis was controlled for subspecialty case type. Telepathologists had access to the referring pathologists' preliminary diagnoses, and the review panel had access to the original glass slides and the surgical pathology reports prior to rendering their respective diagnoses.

RESULTS

The triage pathologist completed the telepathology consultation without the assistance of a subspecialty pathologist in 66% of the cases. The review panel examined the original glass slides from 134 cases by light microscopy. Concordance rates of the telepathologists' or review panel's diagnoses with the referring pathologists' diagnoses were not statistically different (93.1% v 83.6%, respectively; P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The case triage model is suitable for the practice of telepathology. It significantly reduces the need for subspecialty pathologists. Static imaging telepathology is useful and reasonably efficient for rendering diagnostic opinions in the majority of referred cases. Tissue sampling limitations imposed by static imaging occasionally resulted in diagnostic errors.