United Kingdom Hospital Implements Omnyx Digital Pathology Solution

Courtesy of Coventry Telegraph (UK) 18 April 2014:

Leading clinicians converged on Coventry this week for the launch of a pioneering diagnosis tool.

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, which runs the city’s University Hospital and St Cross Rugby, has become the first in the country to use a ground-breaking digital system.

The Omnyx Integrated Digital Pathology system promises to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the way conditions like cancer are diagnosed.

It allows pathologists to view tissue samples on their computers from any location – and has been hailed as the pathology equivalent of moving from vinyl LPs to iPods.

David Snead, clinical lead for cellular pathology at UHCW, told the audience of health professionals: “We saw the digital pathology system as a solution to a number of challenges.”

Mamar Gelaye, chief executive officer of Omnyx Integrated Digital Pathology, said empowering pathologists was key to reducing inefficiencies and improving care in the NHS.

Previously, a pathologist working from another site would need to return to the lab, physically find the slides and view them under a microscope to make a conclusion.

Or they would have to wait for the slides to be taken to them, creating delays and risk of tissue slides being damaged or lost.

Arguing it was time to look beyond the microscope, she said: “There have been a lot of innovations but we may have hit the ceiling in terms of [microscope] innovation.”

She also said the age of digital and computerisation has meant patients expect more swift and accurate diagnosis.

Andy Hardy, chief executive of UHCW, told the gathering he was excited by the development, saying: “It’s not just about being the first, it’s important for patients. This is going to be fantastic for the patients we serve.”

Source: Coventry Telegraph