May 3, 2023 | Dermatology Practice, Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY—May 1, 2023—PathologyWatch, a full-service digital dermatopathology solution, is recognizing May as Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month with a public awareness campaign of its own.
Many Americans are likely unaware of just how prevalent skin cancer is in the US. In conjunction with Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month, the Skin Cancer Foundation has released some sobering statistics about the disease:
- With over 5 million cases detected each year in the US, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer.
- More than two people die from skin cancer every hour in the US.
- More people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the US than all other cancers combined.
- An estimated 7,990 people will die from melanoma in 2023 (5,420 men and 2,570 women).
- An estimated 186,680 cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the US in 2023.
- One in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70.
“One other key statistic is that the five-year survival rate for melanoma, when it is detected early, is 99 percent,” said Dan Lambert, CEO of PathologyWatch. “That’s why, during the month of May and beyond, we are encouraging everyone to visit their physician or dermatologist and receive an examination. Our mission at PathologyWatch is to preserve and extend life for patients while reducing the cost of healthcare. Early detection is one way we’re working to achieve that goal.”
PathologyWatch uses cutting-edge technology to connect dermatologists with academic-level dermatopathologists in a workflow utilizing samples shared via digital slides. The full-system digital workflow not only optimizes efficiency but also saves physician time, reduces the burden on office staff, and can help clinics create previously untapped revenue streams.
The Utah-based company will be providing “Show Me Some Skin” T-shirts to dermatologists and dermatopathologists who participate in the upbeat awareness campaign. Dermatologists and dermpaths can receive their free T-shirt by simply registering to join the campaign.
“We feel this is a fun way for dermatologists to help get the word out this month about a serious health issue,” Lambert said. “The most important thing in the fight against skin cancer is for people to take the initiative to get tested. May offers the perfect opportunity to commit to that first step.”
About PathologyWatch
PathologyWatch is the groundbreaking leader of digital dermatopathology services. Through these services, dermatology clinics, hospitals and laboratories can improve operational efficiency by speeding up workflow and enhancing patient outcomes by utilizing the PathologyWatch expert professional team and laboratory services. This can facilitate best-in-class reads and, in some cases, enable additional revenue to the practice by in-housing pathology. With an intuitive and easy-to-implement digital pathology solution that includes access to top-tier dermatopathologists and a streamlined clinical workflow that interfaces directly into the EMR, PathologyWatch brilliantly combines state-of-the-art technology and clinical decision-making to deliver unprecedented patient care.
Apr 20, 2023 | Digital Pathology, Pathology Business
There is no time like the present to be part of the digital pathology field.
According to a 2022 report published by Facts and Factors Research, the global digital pathology market is expected to grow at a 13.8 percent CAGR increase in the next five years. In a recent Forbes article, Dan Lambert, CEO of PathologyWatch, spotlights several different market factors that are synergistically signaling exciting growth opportunities ahead.
Increased Demand for Remote Work
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, many companies saw increased demand for the ability to work remotely. With a national emergency declared in the United States, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) waived some requirements for remote pathology sites. The ensuing three years have shown the benefits of digital pathology, especially as the demand for remote work remains high.
Lambert also sees digital pathology as a way to connect people in underserved areas with the latest technological advances in healthcare, which otherwise would not be accessible to them. “I predict that remote digital pathology will eventually help leapfrog the latest technology forward by connecting individual offices with dermpath experts and algorithms throughout the world,” Lambert writes.
New CPT Codes
The College of American Pathologists (CAP) worked with the AMA CPT Editorial Board in 2022 to develop a series of 13 new Category III digital pathology digitization procedure codes, which went into effect on January 1, 2023. Before the change, US labs used the same codes to report a diagnostic read, whether they were made under a microscope or using digital pathology.
The new codes will be used to track the extent to which digital pathology is being utilized, with the hope that it will soon result in additional reimbursement amounts, allowing those using the new technology to recoup some of their costs.
“I see this change providing a clear financial incentive for labs to invest in digital pathology,” Lambert says.
Clinical Correlation
Digital pathology provides a more efficient means of communication between dermatologists and dermatopathologists. Where the old model functioned with biopsy samples placed on glass slides sent off to a lab, digital pathology streamlines the process by scanning the samples into digitized slides. Dermpaths now read the case digitally and can consult in real time with the originating dermatologist.
“Quicker and more efficient diagnosis and communication can position the patient as the real beneficiary of digital pathology advancement,” says Lambert. ”In time, I predict that digital pathology and remote reads by experts will be the industry standard.”
Single-Solution Systems
Until recently, most parts of the digital pathology process were handled separately. In the past, one company might have specialized in building viewers, while one developed diagnostic algorithms, and another specialized in the EMR systems that tracked each patient’s case. But now, vendors like PathologyWatch, with its Dermpath Optimization Tool, have developed systems that cohesively connect each step in the process.
“The fact that a few different vendors have developed start-to-finish systems is a good thing for digital pathology,” Lambert says. “[It] means the industry will continue shifting to support digital solutions.”
To read the full Forbes article, click here.
Mar 27, 2023 | Digital Dermatopathology
PathologyWatch, the groundbreaking leader of digital dermatopathology services, has been chosen as one of a select group of 23 startups to participate in the global AWS Healthcare Accelerator: Global Cohort for Workforce.
This AWS Healthcare Accelerator is a four-week technical, business, and mentorship program for startups seeking to use AWS to improve healthcare workforce training, retention, and deployment. This opportunity, which begins in April and runs through the summer, will support PathologyWatch’s efforts to digitally optimize pathology workflows, providing tools that augment dermatopathology resources and interface directly with EHRs. PathologyWatch’s academic-level dermatopathologists can review and provide interpretations for digital slides remotely, supporting clinical decision-making while reducing costs and allowing workplace flexibility.
“We are honored to be one of a few companies chosen for the AWS Healthcare Accelerator program,” says Dan Lambert, CEO and cofounder of PathologyWatch. “Digital pathology is the key to providing quality healthcare solutions to so many underserved areas of the world, including the rural United States. Our mission at PathologyWatch is to leapfrog technology forward in the digital pathology space by connecting individual offices with dermpath experts throughout the world. We believe the AWS Accelerator program can help us in that journey.”
Curriculum of the AWS Healthcare Accelerator will offer opportunities such as hands-on AWS Cloud and technical training, mentorship from healthcare leaders, and exposure to AWS customers and members of the AWS Partner Network. PathologyWatch, which is seeking to advance solutions for addressing urgent challenges facing the healthcare workforce, will also receive AWS computing credits and opportunities to speak with investors and industry experts, including at a Demo Day, where PathologyWatch’s solutions will be showcased.
“Solutions to help clinicians as well as other office and technical staff in healthcare are needed urgently and globally,” says Dr. Rowland Illing, chief medical officer and director of International Public Sector Health at AWS. “We know that advancing cloud- and technology-enabled approaches can alleviate some of the burden, and we’re proud to be convening standout startups and healthcare leaders in this first-ever global Accelerator to do that.”
“We do a significant amount of AI and deep learning research on AWS. They’ve been a great partner,” says Lambert. “The sample volume that we process daily has gone up almost 200% over the past couple of years, and AWS has been able to scale with us. It’s nice having a flexible on-demand hosting solution available immediately.”
Healthcare workforce shortages are at crisis levels, driven by burnout, shrinking budgets, and the aftermath of a worldwide pandemic. A shortfall of 10 million healthcare workers is forecast by 2030. As a result, patients may go untreated or experience delays in care, and healthcare workers need support now more than ever.
In the field of pathology, there is a significant shortage of qualified pathologists, both in the US and worldwide. PathologyWatch is using digital tools to help cover this physician gap, allow pathologists to work remotely, and reduce burnout.
For more information on the AWS Healthcare Accelerator, visit alchemistaccelerator.com/AWS-Healthcare-Accelerator.
