Presented at the 2000 APIII Conference Return to 2000 Abstract Index
INFORMATICS TRAINING IN PATHOLOGY RESIDENCY PROGRAMS: PROPOSED CURRICULUM AND SKILL SETS FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM
Cleveland
Clinic Foundation
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Cleveland, Ohio
Walter H. Henricks, MD
1Walter H. Henricks, MD, 2Philip J. Boyer MD, PhD, 3James
H. Harrison, MD, PhD, 4James C. Healy, MD.
1Cleveland
Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH
2Pennsylvania State University - Hershey Medical Center,
Hershey, PA
3University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
4Creighton University, Omaha, NE
Pathology informatics can be defined as the theory and practice of electronic information management related to the practice of anatomic and clinical pathology. Information used in the pursuit of patient care is the ultimate product of all laboratories and, consequently, to accomplish their missions, modern laboratories depend upon sophisticated information systems. To be successful in today’s healthcare environment, and to make the most appropriate decisions for their laboratories, all pathologists must have a baseline knowledge and skill set infrastructure in informatics, while a subset of pathologists should have more sophisticated informatics knowledge and skill sets. While traditional areas of anatomic and clinical pathology training employ learning objectives, knowledge expectations, and skill sets, such items have not been as well developed or widely implemented for pathology informatics training.
Preliminary data suggest that most beginning pathology residents, even in today's "information age," have a limited understanding of many core topics in pathology informatics and that many residency programs lack a dedicated informatics curriculum. Pre-test / post-test assessments indicate that a well-organized informatics curriculum can markedly improve residents' fund of knowledge in both general computing and key areas of informatics.
We present a draft proposal that defines standard curriculum and skill sets for resident training in pathology informatics. The primary components of the proposal encompass knowledge / learning objectives and acquisition of certain proficiencies or skill sets. Knowledge objectives include those related to (a) general computing and (b) pathology informatics specifically. Skill set expectations include ability to use software that facilitates and adds value to the work of practicing pathologists including (a) skills related to use of the LIS and (b) proficiencies related to use of productivity software. Suggestions are made regarding curriculum structure and implementation, computing infrastructure, advanced topics, and research projects.
It is suggested that, to standardize and to enrich informatics curriculum offerings in residency programs, a pathology subspecialty organization(s) should develop, maintain, and evolve an on-line informatics curriculum.