With a rapidly aging population and an overwhelmed medical system, hospitals like Samsung Medical Center have to cope with the growing demand for health checks and other diagnostic needs. To meet these needs, SMC has combined 5G connectivity and digital pathology, speeding up clinical decision-making across its facilities.
PROBLEM
Every day at SMC, its three diagnostic reading rooms (located in the main building, annex, and Cancer Center) receive countless requests for frozen section testing.
Asking clinicians to seek a consultation with a pathologist typically has to wait for them to descend from their office in Ilwon, which is 15-20 minutes from the main diagnostic reading room at the Cancer Center. This slows down the turnaround time, which in turn also affects the time to diagnosis and surgery.
MEET CHALLENGES ONLY
To enable rapid imaging search around the hospital, SMC envisioned an integrated digital pathology system.
In 2019, the hospital partnered with Korea Telecom to build a 5G-connected digital pathology system. It includes a slide scanner with analysis and interpretation software, a 5G network, and a desktop computer. The system is currently running across three diagnostic reading rooms and is also accessible on mobile devices via the 5G network.
Pathological Fixed Sliding Scanner and 5G Connected Real Time Monitor on 3rd Floor of SMC Main Building
RESULT
The 5G-enabled digital pathology system can halve the turnaround time for frozen lab consultations from half to 10 minutes.
Jean Hyoung Lee, director of IT Infrastructure at SMC, said: “The system has been effective in reducing turnaround times as pathologists can now participate in clinical consultations. frozen experience on their smartphone or tablet device over the 5G network anywhere in the hospital.”
Also through the 5G network, large file transfers can be made, including more than 3GB of frozen tissue scans
“With a regular network, there can be a delay in transmitting scans of frozen tissues that are 1.5 centimeters in size, larger than 3GB. But now with 5G we can transfer them quickly,” he said. Lee shared.
Interpret pathology images digitally instead of microscopy in SMC
Digital Pathology Interpretation: Automating Cell Counts
BIGGER BACKGROUND
SMC’s 5G-enabled digital pathology system was rated the “most comprehensive” in the world in a recent review of The model applies the first global HIMSS phase 7 digital imaging. HIMSS says the system can replace conventional pathological microscopy systems and some automated computer programs.
“The digital pathology system established by the Department of Pathology and SMC’s Information Strategy Group could be one of the prime examples of the fourth industrial revolution model being applied to the hospital system. “, said pathology professor Jang Kee-Taek of SMC.
