The use of digital imaging, video conferencing, and telepathology in histopathology: a national survey.
OBJECTIVE
To undertake a large scale survey of histopathologists in the UK to determine the current infrastructure, training, and attitudes to digital pathology.


METHODS
A postal questionnaire was sent to 500 consultant histopathologists randomly selected from the membership of the Royal College of Pathologists in the UK.


RESULTS
There was a response rate of 47%. Sixty four per cent of respondents had a digital camera mounted on their microscope, but only 12% had any sort of telepathology equipment. Thirty per cent used digital images in electronic presentations at meetings at least once a year and only 24% had ever used telepathology in a diagnostic situation. Fifty nine per cent had received no training in digital imaging. Fifty eight per cent felt that the medicolegal implications of duty of care were a barrier to its use. A large proportion of pathologists (69%) were interested in using video conferencing for remote attendance at multidisciplinary team meetings.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a reasonable level of equipment and communications infrastructure among histopathologists in the UK but a very low level of training. There is resistance to the use of telepathology in the diagnostic context but enthusiasm for the use of video conferencing in multidisciplinary team meetings.
Dennis
T
T
Department of Histopathology, Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospital, Calow, Chesterfield S44 5BL, UK.
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D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D010338:Pathology, Clinical / Q000193:education / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010781:Photography / Q000295:instrumentation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019113:Telepathology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006113:United Kingdom; D049269:Videoconferencing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
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