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Overview
The Center for Pathology Informatics at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is the first center of its kind in the country. Pathology informatics is a developing discipline that focuses on the management and analysis of clinical and research pathology data using modern computing and communications techniques. Since its inception as the Division of Pathology Informatics in 1991, the Center has focused on providing high-quality training experiences for pathologists at all levels.
The Center for Pathology Informatics is responsible for managing and improving UPMC laboratory information services and systems in anatomic pathology (Cerner CoPath Plus), clinical pathology (Misys Information Systems), and the pathology imaging system (TriPath Imaging, Inc.'s Autocyte Image Management System). The Center also manages its own teleconsultation, image-enhanced reporting, image indexing and distance education systems. These systems are integral to medical decision making at UPMC and are responsible for over half of the data in the UPMC's electronic patient record. The Division is also responsible for academic and administrative computing in the Department of Pathology, and supports a robust developmental and academic program.
- The AP Laboratory Information Services group (APLIS) provides computing resources and support for all of the divisions comprising Anatomic Pathology. These divisions include surgical pathology, autopsy pathology, and transplant pathology throughout the UPMC Health System. The Division of Anatomic Pathology is growing, with particular emphasis on oncogenesis and genitourinary, hematologic, head and neck, pulmonary, bone and soft tissue, orthopedic, endocrine, cytologic, and transplant pathology.
In addition to providing development, training and support, the APLIS Team supports Dynamic Healthcare's CoPath PicsPlus for UPMC's large network of Anatomic Pathology departments. The APLIS team is active in many other clinical developmental projects, including voice recognition, document imaging, and gross/microscopic image capture. The team also provides assistance to the annual conference, Advancing Practice, Instruction and Innovation Through Informatics (APIII), in Pittsburgh.
- The CP Laboratory Information Services group (CPLIS) provides computing resources and support for all of the divisions of Clinical Pathology. These divisions include clinical chemistry, immunopathology and tissue typing, microbiology, and hematopathology throughout the UPMC. In addition to providing development, training, and support, the CPLIS team supports Sunquest Information Systems for UPMC's network of Clinical Pathology departments in eight affiliated hospitals.
The CPLIS team is actively developing and implementing a process control program for Point of Care Testing Systems, interacting with the labs to implement robotic control modules into the LIS and lab workflow. CPLIS works with the LIS vendor to evaluate new products and is serving as an alpha and beta test site for future product development.
- Developmental Pathology Informatics is the research and development arm of the Center. It focuses on cutting-edge developmental and research programs, with an emphasis on next-generation pathology reporting methods, databases, imagery, and bioinformatics. The Center has substantial grant support in the areas of next-generation Internet test beds, imaging research, collaborative human tissue banking, development of tissue banking information systems and bioinformatics support for the molecular reclassification of prostate cancer.
- National Organization Support
- The Center coordinates and hosts the annual conference
Advancing Practice, Instruction and Innovation Through Informatics (APIII), held in Pittsburgh. This conference is designed for academic and practicing pathologists and oncologists, researchers in biomedical informatics, residents, fellows, graduate students, computer support personnel and lab managers who are interested in learning how informatics is impacting and transforming pathology and oncology. Prior knowledge of informatics is not required.
- The Center has also played an integral role in the development of the Association for Pathology Informatics (API), whose mission is to promote the field of pathology informatics as an academic and a clinical subspecialty of pathology.
The Center for Pathology Informatics maintains formal, active associations with the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, the UPMC Information Services Division, the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Biomedical Informatics, the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences, the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and leading companies in medical informatics.
The Center's faculty members have produced a significant body of work in pathology informatics and medical bioinformatics, including journal articles, invited presentations, and abstracts.
Read more about the Informatics Division in the Department of Pathology's brochure.
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