Omnyx launches Global Collaborators Program to advance Digital Pathology products

Mar 23 2010

Omnyx, a joint venture of GE Healthcare and The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, today announced the launch of a Global Collaborators Program to advance Digital Pathology products, technology, and use for clinical applications.

The program’s goals are to:

1) Increase adoption of digital pathology in clinical applications

2) Advise Omnyx on its digital pathology product strategy and design

3) Share digital pathology best practices and case examples

The Collaborators Program brings together 31 true thought leaders across 13 institutions and 6 countries. Together, this group represents a truly broad array of leading institutions and clinicians/researchers all interested in moving forward the state-of-the art in Digital Pathology.

Rajiv Enand, Senior Vice President, Business Development at Omnyx, said, “Our company goal is to deliver a digital pathology system for clinical use across the globe. To achieve this objective, we needed significant engagement from a broad set of clinicians and administrators. At the onset of Omnyx, we engaged with pathologists at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). With the launch of the Collaborator’s program, we are thrilled to expand on this by adding an additional 12 institutions to those who we would collaborate with. We are honored that this elite group is working with us to push this industry and technology forward.”

Founding member organizations by country include (in alphabetic order):

• Asia Health Partners, Singapore
• Institute Gustav Roussy, France
• IsMeTT, Italy
• LabCorp, United States
• Memorial Sloan Kettering, United States
• Montefiore Medical Center, United States
• The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Scotland
• Stanford Hospital & Clinics, United States
• University Health Network, Canada
• University Hospitals Birmingham, United Kingdom
• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), United States
• University of Rome (La Sapienza), Italy

Dr. George Michalopoulos, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh, said "Digital Pathology has been a focus area for us for many years. We recognized early, however, that for full clinical adoption, new thinking on pathology workflow technology was required. Workflow technology that creates the greatest level of productivity can only be done with direct involvement of the larger global Pathology community. We are excited to be working with this world class team."

Collaborators Program member Dr. Daniel Arber, Associate Chair of Pathology for Clinical Services at Stanford Hospitals & Clinics, highlighted benefits of membership, “In the coming years, Digital Pathology will play a major role in pathology practices. The Collaborators Program gives practicing pathologists influence over digital microscopy design and implementation so that pathologists can practically apply this technology in everyday use. This could result in improved turn-around-time and allow remote access to slides for rapid consultation.”

“Creating a digital pathology system that pathologists will actually use in their clinical practice requires a careful study of the pathologists’ activities in different settings. To obtain this, the only way is to organize a close collaboration between industry and the clinical community. In this context, we are pleased to be a member of Omnyx’s Collaborators Program to help represent European viewpoints and ensure global input is taken into consideration during the design development,” said Dr. Carlo Della Rocca, Full Professor of Pathology at the Department of Experimental Medicine of “Sapienza” University of Rome and Chairmen of the University Pathology Service and of The Department of Support Clinical Activities – AUSL Latina.

Dr. Sylvia Asa, Pathologist-in-Chief at the University Health Network in Toronto Canada concluded, “In Canada, we face the challenge of providing specialty pathology expertise not only to people in major metropolitan areas, but equal access to rural, remote and underserved populations. Many countries face similar remote care delivery challenges. The Omnyx Collaborators Program provides a global forum where we can mutually share best practices on how digital pathology can meet these, and other significant challenges.”

Dr. Kim Dickinson, LabCorp Medical Director Irvine CA, said, “As one of the world’s leading reference laboratories, we see Digital Pathology as game changing for our business. Moving glass slides into a digital form will enable significantly more flexibility in our business and our improve ability to connect with our customers. The result will be faster turnaround times, better collaboration, and improved efficiency. Omnyx’s Collaborators Program lets us ensure our views and needs are considered when considering the design of their advanced systems.”

Membership in Omnyx’s Collaborators Program is non-exclusive and does not represent an endorsement by the member organizations of Omnyx or its products. Member organizations have no financial interest in Omnyx as part of their participation in the Omnyx Collaborators Program.