Informatics
Author:
Mikael Häggström, M.D. [note 1]
Informatics includes multiple topics relating to the use of information technology, computer systems, and data management to support and enhance the practice of pathology, including artificial intelligence. It is difficult to give general guidelines on technologies and systems that often differ between hospitals even when serving the same purpose. Still, make efforts to familiarize yourself with the technologies and systems at hand where you train or work.
- AI will never replace physicians — but physicians who use AI will replace those who don’t
- - Jesse Ehrenfeld, M.D.
Implementation
If you have the opportunity to choose an informatics-related project (whether it is for an elective or mandatory rotation), strongly prefer working on implementing an existing software or device rather than developing a new one. For new informatics tools, even if proven to be accurate and reliable in multiple publications or conference presentations, the main bottleneck is still to make people actually use it, especially beyond your local institution. There is still a possibility that a new informatics tool can make a lasting change, but before even starting there needs to be an implementation plan that goes beyond research, publication and local implementation. Such a plan might include making the tool open-source, with the creation and maintenance of a dedicated website for guidance and downloading, or establishing a partnership with industry.
Notes
- ↑ For a full list of contributors, see article history. Creators of images are attributed at the image description pages, seen by clicking on the images. See Patholines:Authorship for details.
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References
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