Baylor and Leica Biosystems team up for digital pathology global services

Baylor College of Medicine has teamed with Leica Biosystems, a cancer diagnostics company and global leader in workflow solutions, to launch Baylor's worldwide pathology services.

"Through creative solutions contributed by those both internal and external to the College, we are developing innovative new approaches to diagnose and treat disease for delivery of the highest quality healthcare," said Dr. Paul Klotman, president, CEO and executive dean of Baylor College of Medicine. "A primary focus for our global pathology services will be the adoption of cutting-edge digital pathology."

Digital pathology is the practice of converting microscopic glass slides into digital slides that can be viewed, managed and analyzed on a screen. For several hundred years, tissues have been examined with light microscopes and histologic glass slides to render diagnoses. That is effective, but there are limitations and inefficiencies, both geographically and financially. Many areas of the United States and the world do not have regular access or cannot find pathologists to make these diagnoses, significantly decreasing patients' access to quality care and life-altering treatments.

The Department of Pathology at Baylor has a wealth of diverse resources as part of a multidisciplinary institution with a focus on education, healthcare, research and community outreach. With more than 90 board-certified pathologists in multiple specialties, Baylor's global health initiative provides the necessary expertise for clinicians working with underserved locations. Digital pathology plays a major role in the department's plans to expand its services nationally and globally. The partnership between Baylor and Leica Biosystems has created a platform to provide a service that will transform the way pathology, clinical medicine and patient care is practiced.

"With the use of digitization, we can extend the reach of qualified pathologists to areas where this was not possible," said Dr. Martin Matzuk, chair of the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Baylor. "Additionally, access to specialty consultative services means a significant increase in the diagnostic quality of service. All of this can be accomplished without a financial burden to the communities where help is so desperately needed. Digital pathology acts as a 'force multiplier' to local physicians and their patients where such services are not readily available or are significantly delayed."

"We are very pleased to partner with Baylor College of Medicine to launch its global pathology services," said Melissa Aquino, president of Leica Biosystems. “We believe that innovation defines the future. By combining Aperio Digital Pathology with other Leica Biosystems solutions to help expand Baylor's existing lab, our solutions aim to facilitate workflow efficiency, information sharing, and optimized clinical decision making. The future is very bright with Baylor College of Medicine looking toward digital pathology as a way to improve turnaround times, provide better outcomes, and increase pathologists' and patients' satisfaction."