Williams Bethany Jill, Lee Jessica, Oien Karin A, Treanor Darren
Histopathology Department, St James University Hospital, Leeds, UK.
National Cancer Research Institute, London, UK.
J Clin Pathol. 2018 May;71(5):463-466. doi: 10.1136/jclinpath-2017-204808. Epub 2018 Jan 9.
To canvass the UK pathology community to ascertain current levels of digital pathology usage in clinical and academic histopathology departments, and prevalent attitudes to digital pathology.
A 15-item survey was circulated to National Health Service and academic pathology departments across the UK using the SurveyMonkey online survey tool. Responses were sought at a departmental or institutional level. Where possible, departmental heads were approached and asked to complete the survey, or forward it to the most relevant individual in their department. Data were collected over a 6-month period from February to July 2017.
41 institutes from across the UK responded to the survey. 60% (23/39) of institutions had access to a digital pathology scanner, and 60% (24/40) had access to a digital pathology workstation. The most popular applications of digital pathology in current use were undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, research and quality assurance. Investigating the deployment of digital pathology in their department was identified as a high or highest priority by 58.5% of institutions, with improvements in efficiency, turnaround times, reporting times and collaboration in their institution anticipated by the respondents. Access to funding for initial hardware, software and staff outlay, pathologist training and guidance from the Royal College of Pathologists were identified as factors that could enable respondent institutions to increase their digital pathology usage.
Interest in digital pathology adoption in the UK is high, with usage likely to increase in the coming years. In light of this, pathologists are seeking more guidance on safe usage.
对英国病理学领域进行调查，以确定临床和学术组织病理学部门当前数字病理学的使用水平，以及对数字病理学的普遍态度。
使用SurveyMonkey在线调查工具向英国各地的国民健康服务体系和学术病理学部门发放了一份包含15个条目的调查问卷。调查在部门或机构层面进行。尽可能联系部门负责人，要求他们完成调查，或将其转发给部门中最相关的人员。数据于2017年2月至7月的6个月期间收集。
来自英国各地的41家机构回复了调查。60%（23/39）的机构可以使用数字病理学扫描仪，60%（24/40）的机构可以使用数字病理学工作站。当前数字病理学最常见的应用是本科和研究生教学、研究以及质量保证。58.5%的机构将在其部门中研究数字病理学的部署确定为高优先级或最高优先级，受访者预计这将提高其机构的效率、周转时间、报告时间并促进协作。获得初始硬件、软件和人员费用的资金、病理学家培训以及皇家病理学家学院的指导被确定为可以促使受访机构增加数字病理学使用的因素。
英国对采用数字病理学的兴趣很高，未来几年其使用可能会增加。鉴于此，病理学家正在寻求更多关于安全使用的指导。
